Odisha government advisory to school staff on Covid safety

BHUBANESWAR: As many schools across the State continue to report cluster outbreaks of Covid-19 cases, the School and Mass Education (SME) department has asked its field staff and district administrations to review safety protocols being followed in the institutions.

SME Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the district administrations have been asked to ensure adequate compliance to Covid safety guidelines issued for campuses. District education officers have also been asked to visit campuses or send field staff for surprise checks and file reports on a regular basis on implementation of SOP for Covid-19, especially in hostels. The government has allowed offline classes for students of Standard VI to XII but no decision has been taken on conduct of classes for students of primary grades.

Fresh cluster outbreak of Covid cases in three schools in Puri, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj districts in the last one week, has triggered apprehensions about safety of students, especially those staying in hostels.
Meanwhile, members of the parents association requested the government to conduct surprise checks in private schools to ensure no student is forced to attend classes in physical mode during the pandemic.  “We request the State government to ensure SOPs are properly implemented in schools,” said Odisha Abhibhavak Mahasangh chairperson Basudev Bhatt.