Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama Local situations and possibilities can be considered to revise the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) laid down by the state government to reopen schools and colleges in the state, Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said on Thursday.
The minister was chairing a virtual meeting from the command and control centre in Gandhinagar to review the arrangements for the reopening of schools and colleges in the state on November 23. It was attended by district education officers, university vice-chancellors, representatives of school managements and senior education officials.
The state government on November 11 announced that Class 9 to 12 in schools and colleges would resume from November 23. At the meeting, it was also decided to set up a control room in co-ordination with district collectors. Also, arrangements have been made for availability of students’ attendance and consent letters by parents thrice to the state government two-four times a day.
“Keeping the health safety of children in mind, attendance has been kept voluntary… online classes will not be stopped. Also, a task force at the district and taluka levels has been created to ensure following of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),” Chudasama said adding that these could be revised according to the local situations and circumstances.
The state education department has fixed Monday, Wednesday and Friday for Class 10 and 12I while Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for Class 9 and 11.
The state government issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Wednesday outlining the conditions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed by schools, parents and students.
The parents in their consent letter to be submitted to the school are asked to assure that they have gone through the entire SOPs and guarantee to follow these guidelines. Also, the sample consent letter issued by the education department asks the parents to assure that a student will come to the school wearing a face mask, with a water bottle and breakfast and will not share these with others.
Call for ‘school bandh’
The All Gujarat Parents Association on Thursday demanded that the state government withdraw its decision of reopening of schools, in view of rising Covid-19 cases. “While cases are increasing in Ahmedabad and across the state, the state government has announced to reopen schools and colleges. We demand that if a student is infected, then the hospital bill should be paid by the school. We call for a school bandh on November 23,” said Naresh Shah, president of All Gujarat Wali Mandal said.