Schools in Puducherry start preparatory works for phased resumption of activities for higher classes

Workers cleaning a classroom of a government school on Monday.

Schools in Puducherry and Karaikal regions have started preparatory works on Monday for the phased resumption of educational activities in schools for higher classes from October 8.

The UT had decided to permit students in both the regions studying in Class 9 to 12 in all schools to visit their institutes on a voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers, to get doubts clarified, for counselling and other related works in areas outside the containment zones.

“On Monday we have started cleaning the premises, supplying gloves, sanitisers, thermal scanners and other essentials needed to maintain personal hygiene and social distancing norms. In the next two days, meetings will be held in the schools to sensitise teachers and members of parent teachers’ association. From Thursday, academic activity will resume,” Director of School Education P. T Rudra Goud told

The Hindu .

The classes will begin with 10th and 12th standards and thereafter for standards 9 and 11 on October 12. To begin with for these classes, the schools will function on alternate days. The schools will function only during forenoon and function for six days instead of five days, he added.

The schedule for class-wise opening will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Class 9, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for Class 10, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Class 11 and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for Class 12, the Director informed.

Schools authorities have started marking of boxes on the ground floor to ensure physical distancing norms, he said adding attendance of students should be purely on parental consent.

The school authorities are free to hold the interaction with students in open places ensuring personal distancing norms. Wearing masks is mandatory for students and teachers.

“We have given clear instructions to heads of institutions to follow all the mandatory norms while resuming academic activities. Teams will conduct inspection on day to day bases to ensure that guidelines are strictly followed,” the Director said.