As Mumbai is all set to resume physical classes after nearly 1.5 years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued strict standard operation procedures (SoPs) for schools amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Announcing the SOPs, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Thursday, September 30, said that the consent will be taken from the parents of the students and it would be mandatory to give it in writing. The management should ensure this.
As per the guidelines issued by the mayor, one class will have a maximum of 50 students capacity and only one student will sit on a single bench. Students have been also asked to come on an alternate days basis.
Here’s the list of rules to be followed:
1. School Management Committee should discuss with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) about reopening of schools and detailed planning of it.
2. All schools management are required to link their respective school with the nearest Primary Health Centre so that health facilities can be made available to the students as and when required.
3. If any student with fever, cold, shortness of breath, scratches on the body, redness of the eyes, cracked & reddened lips, swelling of fingers, hands and joints, vomiting-diarrhoea and abdominal pain is seen then arrangements should be made to take them to the health facility immediately.
4. If the child is facing any physical or mental difficulties, it must be brought to the notice of his/her parents through teacher or SMC member and guide them to go for medical check-up and medication.
5. Safety and Preparedness:
i. Before starting the school it is necessary that all the Teachers and Non-teaching staff in that school are vaccinated otherwise 48 hours prior RTPCR test for Covid-19 should be done. The certificate/report issued by the laboratory for this test should be verified by the School Management Committee.
ii. Entry & Exit should be kept separate if possible for school children and staff. A separate schedule should be set for this in such a way that it avoids the congestion in school.
iii. If any family member of the student is Covid Positive such student should not be sent to school instead he/she should be kept under home quarantine.
iv. No one other than students and school staff should be allowed to enter the school premises except for urgent work.
v. Thermal scanning of each student should be done daily at the time of entering the school. In case of any suspicious symptoms of any kind of disease, immediately inform the parents and the Primary Health Centre.
vi. If any student or school staff is found to be Covid positive, the Headmaster should immediately close the school and disinfect the school and isolate them and start medical treatment on the advice of the Medical Officer.
vii. In case any school staff or student is suspected of COVID-19, then he/she be kept in a room separate from the others and he/she should be given immediate medical treatment. Care should be taken that such students should not feel aloof and afraid.
viii. Students should be made accustomed to enter and leave the school in a queue keeping social distancing
ix. Masks are mandatory for everyone all the time. School staff and management must ensure social distancing all the time.
x. Make it a habit to wash their hands with soap/hand wash when needed.
xi. The ban on spitting should be strictly enforced.
xii. Teachers should be careful to ensure that too many students do not gather in one place. Moreover, special signs such as squares, circles etc. should be used to avoid crowding in queues at place like drinking watering facilities, hand washing facilities, toilets etc. Restrict the number of persons using the lift.
xiii. Schools and classrooms should be disinfected regularly. Toilets/Washrooms should be cleaned at periodic intervals using appropriate disinfectants.
xiv. Frequent cleaning and disinfection of classrooms and outside classroom surfaces such as toilet handles, study materials, teaching materials, desks, tables, chairs, etc should be done.
xv. Air condition facilities in classrooms should not be used if the need arises then the temperature of ACs should be maintained above 24°C. Windows and doors should be kept clean and fully open so that there is a circulation of air.
xvi. Assembly, Gatherings, Annual day functions and other similar events which may lead to a large gathering of students should not be organized.
xvii. Schools should not make 100% Attendance mandatory. Rewards/Certificates for 100% attendance should not be given due to coronavirus. In future, post-pandemic such rewards can be given to students. In addition, schools can make school uniforms optional.
xviii. If the number of students is more, group the students as per the requirement and according to their group (50% students per group) should be called on alternate days.
xix. If the number of students is more, then students can be called in two sessions per day. The duration of the actual class should not exceed 3 to 4 hours. There should not be any lunch break.
xx. If students do not follow the instructions, it should be brought to the notice of their parents. Teacher-Parent meetings should be held online. Education should be provided to the students up to Class VlI through online/offline mediums without calling them to school.
On Wednesday, September 29, BMC issued an order for the re-opening of all schools in Mumbai for classes 8 to12 from October 4 with all COVID-19 protocols in place. The civic body chief Iqbal Chahal also had said that all SoPs issued by the government will be implemented.
Share
Tweet
