As schools across the State are gearing up to reopen on Friday, several school managements are struggling to meet all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and say they may be unable to complete sanitisation of classrooms. As a result, some schools are likely to reopen only on Monday.
Schools which were closed in March owing to the COVID-19 pandemic are reopening after nine-and-a-half months. Class 10 and II PU will be the first to reopen.
D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools, said that as the State government had taken a final decision on reopening class 10 on Monday, many school managements who depended on external agencies for sanitisation of classrooms were unable to get slots to sanitise before January 1.
“There is a huge demand and the schools who are dependent on these agencies may not be able to complete the sanitisation process by Friday,” he said.
B.R. Supreeth, secretary, Oxford Institutions, Nagarabhavi, said that although schools were struggling to complete the sanitisation process, there was no other option but to complete it in the interest of safety of students and staff.
“Several sanitisation agencies are charging per square feet and it is becoming an expensive affair. It would help if the BBMP can help us with sanitisation of the classrooms and school buildings,” he said.
Some schools are also procuring additional infrastructure like benches and chairs as they need to ensure that physical distance is maintained between the students.
Explaining the plight of government schools, Basavaraj Gurikar, vice-president, All India Teachers’ Federation, said that the State government had not provided any funds for sanitisation of classrooms or schools. “Many teachers are mobilising funds from the School Development Monitoring Committee members and the local residents to ensure that all precautionary measures are taken during the pandemic,” he said.
