Bhubaneswar: Teachers, officials of the School and Mass Education (S&ME) department will regularly monitor the situation after the opening of schools for the students of classes VIII and XI, said Director of Medical Education & Training (DMET) Dr CBK Mohanty.
Health Department officials will also monitor the situation if required, Dr Mohanty added.
Meanwhile, the departments of School & Mass Education and Panchayati Raj have jointly issued a letter to all Collectors on preparatory arrangements for the reopening of classes VIII and XI in all categories of schools for academic year 2021-22.
The letter states that as schools were closed since March 2020 due to pandemic situation arising out of COVID -19, the following preparatory arrangements must be ensured with the participation of the School Management Committee (SMC), Parent Teacher Association, Head Masters/ Teachers and PRI members before re-opening of schools for the safety and security of students and smooth running of classes.
- A meeting of all school staff and School Management Committee (SMC)/ PRI members to be convened to discuss regarding necessary preparatory arrangements for reopening o schools.
- The School Management Committee (SMC) members and teachers/Head Teachers will do a hazard haunt exercise to map different potential hazards like hole, open ponds, hanging electric wire, broken wings, unsafe wall/roof, unsafe door/windows etc inside the school campus including classroom, veranda, toilet, drinking water facility/ overhead tank, library, laboratory, computer room etc. The Headmaster of the school would take the help of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) & Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members where SMC does not exist.
- After the completion of the exercise as described at point no.2 SMC/PTA and Head Master/ Teacher will take steps to resolve the issues as indicated below.
a. SOP issued by State Govt as referred above will be followed by SMC, Head Masters and all Teachers strictly.
b. SMC/PTA would take the help of PRI members for cleaning of the school campus including classroom, veranda, toilet, drinking water facility(source of water & overhead tanks), library, laboratory, computer room, office room, activity room, desk and benches etc.
c.Inflammable materials like cooking gas, Kerosene, Petrol etc. and toxic materials like Phenyl, Toilet cleaner etc. should be kept in a safe place.
d.COVID protocol as prescribed by Govt. will be followed. All rooms must be properly sanitized.
e.Provisioning of hand sanitizer, masks, thermal scanner and other safety materials would be facilitated for both teachers and students.
f. Necessary steps may be taken up by DEO, DPC, BEO, BRCC, CRCC, Head Master, Teacher and SMC/PTA as per the local level needs for ensuring school safety and security before the reopening of schools.
- All Block Education Officers (BEOs), BRCC & CRCC under the guidance of DEO & DPC will monitor the implementation of the above process strictly and report to State project Director, OSEPA on daily basis through State level Covid Cell (S & ME Deptt) and Command & Control Centre on-line/ tracker.
- The SMC/ Head Master may take the support of PRI members/ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for resolving the issues. The SMC/ Head Master of Govt. managed Schools may use Composite School Grant and School Safety Grant available under SamagraShiksha for implementing the above activities.
- In case of the requirement of more funds for cleaning/ maintaining of the school campus or repairing cracked roof/ wall of classrooms, the assistance of PRI may be taken by the SMC/ Head Master of the school.
