After a long break, physical classes for classes 1 to 8 resumed on Monday, in Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
School staff and members of Parent Teachers Associations welcomed students with flowers. Several government schools greeted the students by distributing pens, pencils, erasers and pencil sharpeners. Girls were given flowers along with hairpins.
The students were screened using thermal scanners at the entrances, and masks were given to those not wearing it. Hand sanitisers were also given to the students. The classes are being held in a staggered manner.
Like for the higher classes, the primary classes will function from 9. 30 a.m. to 1. 30 p.m. Classes for students of standards 1,3,5 and 7 will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while classes 2,4, 6 and 8 will be held on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Director of School, Education, P. T Rudra Goud told The Hindu that preparatory work to provide free lunch for students in government schools has commenced. Lunch would be provided for all students, starting Wednesday. The government has also initiated the process to re-launch ‘student-only buses, he said.
More than 90 % of the school staff have been vaccinated and efforts are on to cover the entire workforce. Special squads would be visiting the schools on a regular basis to ascertain whether the institutions are following COVID-19 norms, he added.
