The Maharashtra government on Monday issued guidelines for reopening of Namankit Schools (English Medium renowned residential schools) promoted by the Tribal development Department especially for tribal children in the state. The schools can reopen for standard 9th to 12th with adequate safety measures to avoid the spread of Covid 19.
Tribal Development Department joint secretary TR Gavit in a notification issued on Monday said the school teachers should undergo RT-PCR tests and those teachers tested positive will attend the schools only after the doctor’s certificate following their recovery.
It will be mandatory to make available facilities for hand washing in schools and hostels. The local administration will ensure the availability of thermometer, thermal scanner/Gun, pulse-oximeter, disinfectants, soaps and water in the schools and hostels. Thermometer should be calibrated contactless infrared digital thermometer.
The local administration will shift the quarantine centre from the Namankit school elsewhere. If it would not be possible, the classes can be held in the ground or at alternate sites.
Schools will have to adhere to physical distancing norms and one student will occupy one bench at a time. In the hostel, only two students will share a room. Students, teachers, non teaching staff should wear masks.
The department has banned prayers, gatherings, sports and other such events in the schools and hostels to avoid crowding. Further, it will be mandatory for students to get consent from parents to attend classes and stay in the hostel. The school administration will speak to parents for the same.
The Tribal Development Department under the ‘Namankit Yojana’, sponsors education for tribal children studying in any private English medium school approved by the government from Class I to XII. So far, around 54,000 students are studying in 179 such schools under the scheme.
Today’s notification is important, as even though the schools under the jurisdiction of the Department of School Education were reopened from November 23 last year, there was a confusion among the Namankit Schools due to the absence of clear directions from the Tribal Development Department.
