Tag: #reopen

Telangana: Want to Resume physical classes for primary students….!!!

With many states planning to start physical classes only for high school students, managements and teachers said that it is much more important to resume physical classes for primary students, as many of them unable to follow virtual classes.

They said that offline classes should be conducted at least two days a week for primary students. “Even as per ICMR, the impact of Covid-19 on children under the age group of 10 is much less when compared with elder children and adults. Why not start physical classes for them as well,” V Amarnath, director.

“These students are unable to concentrate, their confidence is low and communication skills have been impacted,” he said, adding that holistic development of a child has been impacted overall. Teachers said that physical classes should be resumed for all children in August within a gap of 10-15 days and all students should get to attend offline classes on alternate days.

“Now, almost all teachers are vaccinated. The same is the case with parents. So the risk of children spreading Covid seems to be comparatively lower. However, the state should provide sanitation, medical staff and allocate sufficient budget to follow Covid protocols in schools. By following all norms, physical classes should be started,” said M Ravinder, a government teacher, adding students are already facing memory and conceptual loss.

Parents agreed that it is a matter of urgency to resume physical classes, although they said that the same cannot be done in a haste.

The government should form a committee and study the impact of reopening of schools. They need to communicate with parents, explain what to expect and give an assurance about their children and family members’ safety.

Bengal Colleges to reopen in Nov, govt may ask UGC to delay academic year

West Bengal schools, West Bengal schools open, West Bengal colleges, West Bengal colleges open, India news, Indian Express
Partha Chatterjee: West Bengal Education Minister

The new academic session of both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) colleges and universities in West Bengal will begin from December 1. The decision came after a meeting between Vice-Chancellors of state universities and West Bengal Higher Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Sunday.

Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said that the reason they are planning to start the new academic session in December is because host of festivals that are lined up in November including Lakshmi puja, Kali puja/Diwali, Chhat puja, Jagaddhatri puja etc. 

Chatterjee said, “As we need to sanitise the institution premises before starting the academic session in full course, we have to take into account the four-five festive days when no work will be possible. So it will be in the fitness of things to start the new sessions from December.”

He said since most universities have already adopted online teaching for the mid semester courses and providing course materials to students who don’t have online facilities, starting the new session won’t be hopefully of much problem.

“Still whether the classes will be entirely online or there will also be offline mode of teaching will depend on the situation at that time,” the minister added.

While admissions to UG courses will be over by October 31, the admission procedure in PG courses will be completed only by the end of November.

The education minister said his department would write to the University Grants Commission (UGC), asking it to allow the state to start the new academic year from December.

In a notice on September 22, the UGC said the admission process for UG first-year students would have to be completed by October 31, and classes should resume on November 1.

Meanwhile, sources said the universities decided to reserve 80 per cent of seats in PG courses for students who completed their graduation in an affiliated college, or in the institute itself. The decision was taken because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and curbs in transport. As a result, many graduates may find it difficult to pursue higher studies in institutions outside the state.

HARYANA: COLLEGES TO REOPEN ON 26TH SEP FOR TRIAL RUN

The Haryana government has allowed reopening of universities and colleges amid COVID-19 outbreak to enable the students to seek guidance from their teachers, with a trial run to start from September 26.

In a communication, dated September 22, to all universities and colleges in the state, the higher education department has directed them to complete all safety protocols related to COVID-19 and communicate the same by Friday.

The letter from the Director-General of the department refers to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines wherein students from classes 9 to 12 are allowed to visit schools from September 21 on voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers with their parents’ consent.

“Keeping this in view, the universities and colleges may also be allowed to open for students seeking guidance from teachers in a staggered manner,” the letter read.

All protocols recommended by the government, including for sanitisation and social distancing, shall be followed by the institutions, as per the letter.

After remaining shut for the past six months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Haryana government had recently allowed students of classes 9 to 12 to visit their schools in areas outside COVID containment zones, on voluntary basis for academic guidance.

The decision was taken in compliance with the Unlock-4 guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

In view of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, educational institutes across the country have switched to online mode to impart academic lessons.

According to the schedule prepared by the Haryana higher education department, Bachelor of Arts (BA) first-year students may visit the colleges and universities between 9 am to 12 noon on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“BCom and BSc first-year students will visit the institutes between 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.

BA second-year students will visit on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9 am and 12 pm, while BCom and BSc second-year students may go between 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“BA third-year and Post Graduation (PG) first year students may visit the colleges between 9 am to 12 noon on Fridays and Saturdays; while BCom and BSc final-year students and PG second-year students can go between 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays,” the letter added.

BIHAR SCHOOLS TO OPEN PARTIALLY FROM 28TH SEPTEMBER FOR HIGHER CLASSES

Schools in Bihar will partially reopen from September 28, for students of Class 9 to Class 12 belonging to non-containment zones. An order issued by the state education department on Tuesday said that Classes 9-12 students will be allowed to visit schools for seeking academic guidance, following health advisories and SOPs issued by the Central Government.

However, hostels and coaching institutes in the state will continue to remain closed. Classes 9-12 students visiting schools will be subject to written consent from parents, the order said.

Bihar School Reopening Guidelines & SOPs

  1. No students or teachers from containment zones to be permitted to attend the school
  2. Proper sanitization protocol, as laid out by the Health Ministry, has to be followed before the schools reopen and thereafter.
  3. Only 50 per cent teaching and non teaching staff allowed to schools on any given day
  4. Only one third of students allowed to attend classes
  5. School management would be required to prepare a schedule for the classes such that students are allowed to attend the classes for two days in a week
  6. Wearing for face mask is mandatory for students whilst in schools – in classrooms as well as on the campus
  7. Instructions to manage social distancing properly to be provided to students and strictly maintained
  8. Students will have to carry their own hand sanitisers and wash their hands at regular intervals

85% of the parents of this state are in favor of the school opening from September, the education department told the plan.

The biggest question among the Corona virus epidemic is about the opening of schools and colleges. Some people are in favor of opening the school and many are against it. Meanwhile, a survey has revealed shocking results. The survey has been conducted by the Education Department of the state Haryana adjacent to Delhi.

In this survey of Haryana Education Department, it has been found that about 85% of the students of class 10th and 12th in the state are in favor of opening school from September 2020. Despite the dangers of the Corona epidemic, these parents are ready to send their children to school.

The survey was conducted online by the state school education department. In this, parents of a total of 76,019 students of class 10th and 12th of various government schools of the state attended. It included a few schools from all the 22 districts of the state.

What questions were asked from parents
These four questions were asked by the education department to all parents –

  • Should schools be opened by September 2020?
  • Are parents ready to send their children to school from September 2020?
  • Have any of your family members conducted the Kovid test?
  • Have any of your family members been found to be Kovid positive? … so how will the schools be opened now.

An Education Department official said that ‘most of the students of 10th-12th students are in favor of opening of schools. Therefore, the department has decided to run trial run by opening two schools in different districts first. Government Senior Secondary School in Karnal and Government High School in Sonepat will be opened for four days. Dates will be revealed soon. ‘ In these four days, every movement of the school will be recorded on cameras. How students come to school, how they enter, how classes attend, or not touch each other, how they get out of school .. All these things will be recorded. Classes will be held in small groups instead of classrooms. After the trial, a team of seven members of the education department, including health and hygiene experts, will watch these video recordings to see if all the rules are being followed. If there is a shortage, teachers will be asked to remove it the very next day. These recordings will be shown to every teacher before school opens. The education department is preparing to open schools for class 10th and 12th from September 21.

Students have to submit written consent of their parents for this. An official of the Directorate of School Education has told that the ‘School Management Committee will conduct a survey from the parents of all the students from class 9th to 12th. If 60 percent or more of the parents are in favor of opening the school, it will be recorded in the school register. However, all these things are still in the planning stage.