Assam: Fresh Set of SOPs Issued for Reopening of Schools from Nov 2

The Assam Government has issued a fresh set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)s for the reopening of educational institutions from November 2. The schools, colleges, and institutions will be sanitized before it resumes from Monday.

The sanitization programme will be conducted under the aegis of All Guwahati Students' Union and the first school to be sanitized is Cotton Collegiate Higher Secondary School.

The general guidelines issued by the government for reopening of schools are:

1. There will be re-opening of schools from 02nd November, 2020 from classes VI to XII and all UG/Degree Colleges/Engineering Colleges/Polytechnics/University/All Govt. and private educational institutions and private training and coaching institutes.

2. Classes from I to V will remain suspended until further orders.

a) Staggered timetable will be followed for all the classes from VI to XII.

b) In Upper Primary, Secondary and Sr. Secondary schools, for students of class VI, VIII, X and XII, classes will be conducted on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Fixation of first batch and second batch of students will be done by the Head of the Institution (Say for example class VI and X in the morning shift and class VIII and XII in the afternoon shift).

c) And in schools, for students of class VII, IX and XI, classes will be conducted on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Fixation of first batch and second batch of students will be done by the Head of the Institution (Say for example class VII and IX in the morning shift and class X in the afternoon shift).

d) The Staggered timetable for all schools is cited at Para B of this guideline. There will be two batches for each class. However, if in any class, total number of students is less than 20, then division in batch will not be required.

e) The first batch of students will come at 08.00 AM and stay upto 12.00 Noon and the second batch of students will come at 12.30 PM and stay upto 03.30 PM and the Head of the institution will prepare daily routine chart for imparting lesson to the students and equal importance will be given to all the subjects.

f) The first batch of students will have their midday meal from 11.30 AM to 12.00 Noon and the next batch will have midday meal from 12.30 PM to 01.00 PM. The Standard Operating Procedure for mid-day meal, cooking and distribution is at para N.

g) The Head of the Institution, President of SMC/SMDC of the Schools shall ensure that the cook cum helpers are to do COVID test (Swab test) before resuming regular cooking and serving of hot cooked midday meal in the schools. Regular COVID test for cook cum Helpers is required to be ensured and has to be done after a gap of every 15 days or in case of any symptoms of fever, cough, difficulty in breathing etc.,

h) All concerned stake holder/ functionaries are to take necessary steps for resuming regular cooking and serving of hot cook midday meal to the children in the school campus based on the attendance of the students as per staggered timing mentioned in the SOP. However SMC/SMDC shall distribute food security allowance to the eligible absentee children as per entitlements/ norms following the guidelines of distribution of food security allowance.

i) The Schools/Educational Institutions shall have to be sanitized on every weekend (preferably on every Sunday).

j) Regarding sanitization of schools it will be the joint responsibility of the SMDC/SMC of the schools, Deputy Commissioner of the District , Joint Director of Health Services, Inspector of Schools, DEEO, BEEO.

k) On every Sunday there will be community mobilization involving the head of the Educational Institution, Village Headman (Gaonburha), Parents, Guardians, interested NGOs, SHG, Volunteers regarding precaution and awareness on physical social distancing about COVID-19 etc., maintaining health and hygiene, Yoga, Meditation, commutation, prepare and disseminate posters, banners, brochures, info graphics etc., on COVID-19 related issues.

l) Students should be made aware about proper and scientific use of Mask, frequent change of Mask, sanitization, maintenance of physical distance of minimum 6 ft. both inside and outside the classroom.

m) The Teaching and Non-Teaching staff of all Educational Institutions and Cooks/ Helpers engaged in preparation and serving of Midday Meal among the students should be medically tested for COVID-19 after every 30 days and in case of symptomatic case the testing should be done immediatly.

n) The Hostels of all Educational Institutions shall remain closed for one month and until further orders.

o) Regular cleaning and disinfection of the classrooms toilets corridor etc., shall have to be done.

p) Compulsory use of Masks/ Sanitizers by all.

q) Arrangements for potable water for hand washing with soaps. Install hand washing station, hygienic drinking water points, toilets and urinals to allow physical distancing of atleast 1 to 2 meters and ensure these facilities are accessible to children with disabilities.

r) Social distancing in classes/ assembly/dinning hall for distribution of Mid-day-Meal etc. space will be created in the classroom/hall to ensure that the childrens desk stands one meter apart and responsibility for such arrangement would lie on the Head of the institution.

s) Before the schools reopen, R.A.T. of all Teachers/Cooks/ Staff members have to be done and thereafter periodic testing at an interval of 30 days from time to time. And considering the huge number of teaching and non-teaching staff of institutions ranging from upper primary schools to universities and the time factor involved in testing (both testing and value of results) testing has to be planned by District Administration in view of the various challenges posed in conducting such large number of test.

t) Temperatures check of all students/teachers etc. shall be done every day through thermo scanner.

u) Contact with the nearest PHC/CHC in case of fever, cough, difficulty in breathing/ medical emergency.

v) A District level task force Chaired by Deputy Commissioner of the District and consisting of District Heads of the concerned line Department as members will be responsible for ensuring enforcement of the SOP. Notification will be issued by Education Department.

w) The Schools used as quarantine centres should be properly sanitized before reopening. Those educational institutions where quarantine centres were/are setup are to be thoroughly sanitized. Sanitization should not merely be limited to the school building and it should include the entire premises, desks and benches, toilets etc. it should be an extensive sanitization.

x) Schools shall not be opened in containment zones till further instructions from the Govt.

y) Students/teachers/school administrators who have been quarantined (home/institutional) can attend school provided they produce medical fitness certificate relating to COVID-19 issued by competent medical authority. Care must also be taken to avoid stigmatizing of students and staff who have been exposed to COVID-19.

 z) Whenever any single COVID-19 positive case is detected in the school premises and thereafter the school should be opened next day only for COVID 19 testing (R.A.T) of the students teaching, non-teaching staff, cooks cum helper etc. The District Administration/ SMC/SMDC/Head of the Institution shall jointly take necessary steps for R.A.T.

 aa) Whenever multiple COVID-19 positive cases are detected in the school premises and thereafter immediately the school/Educational institution will be closed for a period of 7(seven) days. Subsequently after closure of the school/ educational institution the school building including the entire premises desk and benches, toilet stations/ drinking water station etc., should be thoroughly sanitized. Thereafter, after 7(seven) days the school will be re-opened with due permission from Deputy Commissioner of the District.

bb)In respect of private educational institutions social/physical distancing shall be maintained and buses will carry 1/3 intake of the students in the bus. The school buses should be properly sanitized twice daily.

cc) In respect of those educational institutions which do not have potable water/drinking water facilities/stations, the school shall not be re-opened on 2nd November 2020 and the decision in this connection will be taken by the Deputy Commissioner of the District. Attendance of students must not be enforced and shall be purely based on parental consent.