Health Ministry announces guidelines for teaching activities in classrooms from Sept 21

New Delhi, Sept 13: Union Health Ministry has announced guidelines for the conduct of teaching activities in the classrooms.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kr. Choubey shared a picture of the guidelines on his Twitter handle on Sunday.

The health ministry issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Skill training institutes, Higher Education Institutes conducting courses in technical programs requiring lab work to be permitted from September 21.

As per the guidelines, the seating arrangement should be done in an order to ensure a distance of 6 feet between chairs, desks.

"The staggering of classroom activities, with separate time slots, to allow adequate physical distancing and disinfection of classroom premises. Academic scheduling to have intermix of regular classroom teaching and online assessment. Teaching faculty to ensure that they and students ear masks throughout teaching activities. Sharing of items like laptops, notebook, stationery amongst students to not to be allowed," the guidelines said.

The Health Ministry had on September 8 issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for a partial reopening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12 for taking guidance from their teachers on a voluntary basis.

The SOP follows Unlock 4 guidelines of Home Ministry which came into effect from September 1.

The Home Ministry had said that states and Union Territories may permit up to 50 per cent of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at a time for online teaching or tele-counselling and related work from September 21.

It said that students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers and this will be subject to the written consent of their parents or guardians.

Students from Class 9th to 12th will have the option of attending the classes remotely/virtually or physically only on a voluntary basis for guidance from their teachers subject to written permission of parent/guardian.

The guidelines said that cleaning and regular disinfection (using 1 per cent sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces (doorknobs, elevator buttons, handrails, chairs, benches, washroom fixtures, etc.) will be made mandatory in all classrooms, laboratories, lockers, parking areas, other common areas before the beginning of classes and at the end of the day.