District Collectors should convene online meetings of various departments from Friday to Sunday to review arrangements ahead of resumption of full-time schooling from Monday, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has said.
Addressing an online meeting of District Collectors on Thursday, the Minister said though the government had eased restrictions, COVID-19 precautions should be adhered to as students reach schools en masse.
Schools should be cleaned and disinfected over the weekend. Safe travel facilities for students to and from school should be ensured. Police presence should be ensured in places that are likely to be crowded.
Precise interventions should be made to ensure that students from tribal areas, coastal belt, and hilly regions attend school. An eye should be kept on their attendance.
Proper attention should be paid to education of differently abled students and those receiving home-based education.
Support of local self-government institutions should be ensured for the maintenance of school buses. They should also step in for ensuring infrastructure facilities, academic support and awareness programmes.
Programmes should be drawn up to complete portions and prepare for the year-end examinations.
Vaccination of students should be speeded up, and mid-day meals provided to students.
Excise department officials should watch out for drug and other rackets involving addictive substances.
Services of school counsellors provided by the Social Justice department and the Health department’s junior primary health nurse should be ensured. Functioning of school COVID-19 cells should be ensured.