Bihar schools reopen today, asked to follow safety protocols

PATNA/CHHAPRA: The schools and colleges in the state are reopening on Monday almost after nine months since the lockdown was imposed in the country following the Covid-19 pandemic. The heads of the educational institutions have been directed to follow the safety protocols and standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the state education department.
Regular classes from Std IX upwards would commence in schools with 50% attendance on alternate days.Most schools have decided to call students on an odd-even roll number basis.
Patna district education officer (DEO) Jyoti Kumar on Sunday held a meeting with the heads of different schools and the Association of Independent Schools-Bihar to ensure the adherence of Covid-19 protocols. Kumar said no school would force the students to attend the classes. “Students will be allowed to attend classes only after written consent of their parents and guardians. Schools should continue online classes,” he said.
The DEO directed each school to set up a task force of teachers, staff, and students to ensure that the safety measures like thermal screening, sanitisation of touchpoints, social distancing, mask rule are strictly adhered to. “Schools and their vehicles have to be thoroughly sanitised after classes and every trip respectively,” Kumar said during the meeting. “Students should be encouraged to wash hands regularly and schools have to make arrangements for the soap dispenser and sanitiser,” he added.
Association of Independent Schools-Bihar president CB Singh said the agenda has been sent to all private schools. “We have asked the schools to make a proper inspection and ensure complete sanitisation of the entire premises, including the classrooms and staffroom as well as the entrance, reception, laboratories, libraries, toilets, and sports ground,” he said.
The association’s general secretary, Rajiv Ranjan Sinha, said, “Schools have been asked to constitute a Covid Care Committee (C3) on the first day to ensure social distancing during the lunch break, dispersal, and adherence of other safety protocols. Schools have to ensure that the students would not assemble at any eatery outside the school premises.”
He added: “Temperature of kids and teachers will be checked when they board the school vehicles and also when while entering the premises. Students and staff have to wear the mask all the time.”
Meanwhile, Saran DEO Ajay Kumar Singh on Saturday held a meeting with the headmasters at the local Zila School and asked them to follow the Covid protocols and allow only 50% of the students enrolled in classes IX to XII.
“Allow 50% of the students on Monday and the rest the next day,” he said, adding that classes should be held in shifts in case of more students,” the DEO said and directed the schools to mark white circles for the students at counters, toilets, library, drinking water taps to maintain social distancing. He also distributed masks received from the Jeevika for the students. The directions apply to the coaching institutes also, the DEO said.