Tamil Nadu government issues SoP for schools reopening

Schools are set to reopen for classes 9 to 12 in Tamil Nadu after a break.

The Tamil Nadu government has released a detailed set of SoP ahead of the reopening of schools for senior classes from September 1 onwards and has said all teaching and non-teaching staff must get themselves vaccinated.

Schools are set to reopen for classes 9 to 12 in Tamil Nadu after a break. Earlier this year, schools reopened briefly for senior classes but were soon closed during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in April.

All students, teaching and non-teaching members on campus are also expected to compulsorily wear masks inside and outside the campus. Schools have also been asked to ensure that regular counselling is done for students and teachers who report mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety. Teachers, school counsellors and health workers have been asked to work in unison to ensure the emotional well-being and safety of the students, who are coming back on campus after a long break.

Task teams which will be in-charge of areas such as emergency care, general support and hygiene inspection can be formed on campuses with earmarked responsibilities. Health profiling of students and staff members too should be completed within a week after schools reopen, the SoPs have indicated.

The SoPs have reiterated that online/distance learning will continue to be an alternate mode of teaching and that students who prefer and are willing to attend classes from home can do so with parental consent. The schools will need to follow up on the progress of the learning outcomes of all such students.

Not more than 20 students per classroom can be seated. However, if there is enough space to accommodate additional benches, schools can have more students seated provided strict physical distancing norms are followed.

Schools have also been asked to ensure proper physical-distancing norms in school buses and vans.

Regular disinfecting and sanitisation of the school campus and infrastructure have to be carried out keeping in line with the government guidelines issued for the same. In government schools, this can be done with the help of the local bodies and hand sanitisers will be provided to those schools through the Health Department. Schools have also been asked to ensure regular hand washing by students, availability of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities.