By As per the directives issued by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the schools in Pune will reopen from February 1 for students of classes 5 to 8 for offline lessons. Several precautions will also be taken for the resumption of classroom studies for these students.
The PMC has allowed the reopening of schools in Pune for junior classes a month after the schools have been reopened in the city for students of classes 9 to 12. The schools were reopened for higher classes first in view of the upcoming board exams.
Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar issued an order which stated that schools can start classroom teaching for students from Class 5 to 8 from February 1 by following the issued guidelines and standard operating procedure (SoP) for reopening of schools.
The order issued by the PMC further states that the students will have to get a consent form signed by their parents before appearing for classroom lessons on school premises. School authorities can also ask the non-teaching and teaching staff to attend school from January 23.
Guidelines for reopening schools in Pune
As per the guidelines issued by the PMC, all teachers will have to undergo the RTPCR test and submit the negative result before coming to school. The teachers will also have to ensure that all the students are following the Covid-19 safety guidelines in schools.
The school management will also ensure the availability of thermal guns, pulse oximeter, disinfectant, soaps, and water for the safety of all students. They will also have to make sure that the school vehicles are being sanitised twice a day.
The classrooms and toilets will also be sanitised frequently, as per the official guidelines. Seating arrangements in classrooms and staff rooms will be following physical distancing guidelines. Schools will also be putting up posters and signs to raise awareness about Covid-19 guidelines.
The reopening of schools has been rescheduled multiple times in Pune by the PMC to avoid the risk of spreading Covid-19 among students and staff. The schools for higher classes were reopened because of the nearing dates of the board exams.
