With apprehensions of schools and colleges becoming COVID-19 hotspots, the Department of Public Instruction has directed school managements to exercise caution and strictly adhere to SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to check the infection from spreading.
On Tuesday, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) S.S. Keladimath chaired a meeting of education officers and representatives of school managements to review the steps taken so far and to elaborate on further steps to be taken.
Emphasising the need for making wearing face masks compulsory for schoolchildren and teaching staff, Mr. Keladimath asked school managements to hold classes on alternate days in case there are more number of students in schools.
He also told the school authorities to send a report on the number of children between the age of 15 and 18 getting vaccinated on a daily basis.
He asked teachers to take steps to complete the syllabus by January-end and hold special classes, if necessary, for students who are poor in studies.
On the need for taking steps to prevent sale of tobacco products near educational institutions, he said that headmasters of schools should take the help of police to close down such shops. He clarified that school headmasters are empowered to penalise parents, teachers or non-teaching staff if they are found chewing tobacco or smoking cigarette on school premises.
Mr. Keladimath pointed out that 1,463 children have dropped out of schools and efforts should be made to bring them back on priority.
He said that as January 10 was the last date for registration of students appearing for SSLC examination, 424 schools out of the 428 have begun registrations.
