School reopening | Attendance, uniforms not mandatory; staff to be fully vaccinated

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Thiruvananthapuram: Attendance will not be mandatory in the first phase of school reopening in Kerala.

The decision was arrived at in a meeting held by the Education Minister V Sivankutty with the Directorate of Public Instruction and teachers' associations.

Uniforms will also not be mandatory initially. Detailed guidelines of the school reopening will be released on October 5.

All activities related to the opening of schools will be coordinated by the District Collectors.

The Collectors will summon the headmasters, public representatives and representatives from other departments to discuss the matter.

Heads of institutions and teachers' associations will be asked to ensure that the entire faculty, support staff and parents are fully vaccinated, the meeting concluded.

Higher secondary classes on alternate days

Higher Secondary classes (11 and 12) will be held on alternate days. Classes from 1 to 7 will be held on three days on shift basis.

A maximum of 30 students may be accommodated in a class.

Students will be given counselling and orientation. Bridge courses will be given for revision of lessons from the previous academic year.

Model residential schools under the Department for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, ITIs and Pre Matric - Post Matric hostels will also be reopened on Novemeber 1. The steps for the same will be taken with immediate effect, Minister K Radhakrishnan said.

Preparations ahead of reopening

October 2: Meetings of student forums and trade unions

October 3: Sub-district education officers meet

October 5: Meeting of Mayors, District Council Presidents and Districtict Education Officers; District Collectors' meeting; release of guidelines

Kerala school reopening
A municipal worker sanitizing the classrooms of Govt Boys HSS, Aluva, ahead of the higher secondary exams. Photo: Josekutty Panackal

Sanitisation of schools

The schools will be cleared, cleaned and sanitised from October 20 to 30 with the help of the public, Minister V Sivankutty. Public forums centred around the schools will coordinate the activities.

For over one-and-a-half years educational institutions remain shut folllowing the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the number of daily infected cases are declining, the state government has decided to resume classes from November 1.

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