Pune: Schools, parents given guidelines as in-person teaching in primary classes starts today

Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar on Tuesday issued revised orders allowing primary schools in the city and adjoining Pune Cantonment Board and Kirkee Cantonment Board to reopen from December 16.

As in-person teaching for Classes I to VII begins from Thursday, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made certain measures mandatory for school managements.

As per the guidelines, every school management has to disinfect the premises and keep the school campus clean. There has to be a thermometer, thermal scanner or gun, pulse oximeter, disinfectant, soap and water in the school.

“It is mandatory for teaching and non-teaching staff who have not been fully vaccinated to get negative RT-PCR reports before rejoining the workplace with the test done in the preceding 48 hours. The report has to be submitted to the school,” said Kumar, adding that the school management should ensure its entire staff gets fully vaccinated for Covid-19 as early as possible.

The sitting arrangement in classroom for students and staffroom for teachers should ensure physical distancing as per norms, the municipal commissioner said.

The school has to put an instruction board in an easily visible area wherein there should be instructions on maintaining physical distancing and wearing face mask. There should be a distance of six feet among students standing in a queue and there should be marking on the floor for the same. There should be different points for entrance and exit in a room or any open place of gathering.

“It is necessary for the in-charge of school to take consent of parents for their ward to attend classroom teaching,” Kumar said.

The in-charge of school should ensure hygienic condition in the campus with regular sanitisatisation of the area, especially the washroom, he said, adding that there would be complete restriction on gathering of students for functions.

Parents, too, have been asked to follow certain steps. The child should be asked to directly enter the washroom to take a bath and change from the school uniform after returning home and parents should get the uniform and mask washed every day.

Also, the schools are urged to carry out counseling of students and teachers complaining or showing signs of disappointment or extreme concern.