No sharing pens, new time-tables: Delhi Govt guidelines for schools

NEW DELHI: Delhi Government, on Wednesday, issued a circular containing detailed guidelines for conducting practicals, projects and other assignments in preparation for the Class 10 and Class 12. The CBSE 2021 board examinations are set to begin from May 4. After being shut for around 10 months due to COVID-19, schools in Delhi will be allowed to open for these classes from January 18.

The Delhi Government, in the guidelines, said that no symptomatic students or staff will be allowed on the school campus and that thermal screening will be made mandatory at the entry gate. Also, only students with written consent from parents will be allowed inside the campus.

The guidelines also suggest restructuring time-tables and staggering the entry of students to allow for social distancing. The number of persons to a classroom has been limited to 15 and where two schools run in the same building in shifts, the time-gap between the two shifts has been widened to an hour. Staff and students will also go through a COVID-related orientation programme.

Delhi Schools COVID-19 Guidelines

The government said that students and staff from containment zones will not be allowed inside the schools. Moreover, schools inside containment zones will not be allowed to open for any of these activities.

These are some of the main instructions in the Delhi Government’s COVID-19 circular for schools:

• Principals have instructed to draw up timetables that allow academic activities to take place without breaking the occupancy limit of classrooms, which is 12 to15 persons.

• The guidelines also suggest a “staggered” school timing to avoid crowding at the entrance and exit gates.

• In schools with two shifts, the government recommends a one hour break between the end of morning shift and starting of evening shift.

• The circular also mentions compulsory hand sanitisation for students and staff and sanitisation of class rooms, laboratories and other public utilities.

• Students will be prohibited from sharing notebooks, pens and other stationery items. Masks are to be worn at all times and a physical distance of six feet between each student and staff member is to be maintained.

• School principals will be in charge of ensuring “thorough sanitization” of the school and ensuring that thermal screeners, disinfectants, soap, mask,etc., are available. Schools are also instructed to keep a quarantine room ready in case of emergency.

• Orientation programmes on COVID-appropriate behavior and emotional trauma support will be provided to students and staff, the guidelines said.

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