Due to the Covid-19 outbreak in India, a lockdown was imposed, resulting in the closure of schools. Lockdown in India initiated online classes for children to continue with their education.
When the Covid-19 cases are very few compared to a few months back, the Telangana Government has decided to re-open schools in the state.
It will be a big task for the school authorities to ensure students and staff safety and conduct good academic sessions in the school.
- School premises including classrooms, libraries, playing areas, washrooms, canteen, kitchens, water tanks, and storage places; other commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs and latches, furniture, sports materials, computers, teaching materials, should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected daily.
- Daily simple health screening of students and staff must be carried out, and records are maintained.
- Provide safe and clean drinking water to students. Bringing of water bottles by students need to be encouraged.
- All students, teachers, and other people in school should wear a face mask throughout the day.
- Ensure and educate students to properly wear face masks and not to exchange their masks with others.
- Every child must learn how to cough or sneeze into a tissue or under the elbow and avoid touching face, eyes, mouth, and nose. Instructions for regular hand washing and maintaining social distancing are given.
- Children should avoid sharing stationery items, lunch boxes, water bottles, or any other items with each other.
- Allow students to attend school on a rotation basis for social distancing.
- All eligible individuals in the school should receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
- Proper and timely Covid-19 testing facilities must be available and accessible.
- Hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers should be readily available.
- Sanitize the school transportation daily at least twice a day – once before children board the transport and once after.
- Avoid curtains and keep all windows open in school transport vehicles.
- If possible, school management should urge parents to use their transport to drop and pick up their children from school.
- In detecting a suspected Covid-19 case, keep the ill student or staff in a separate room or isolated area. Provide a face mask and call a doctor for examination.
- Immediately inform the nearest hospital or call state helpline no. and disinfectant the premises if the person is Covid-19 positive.
The Challenges Of Reopening Schools:
- As children are still unvaccinated, the school management needs to take extra precautions to keep children safe.
- Regular health screenings for Covid-19 need to be done to ensure safety.
- Students have to be called to attend schools in a batch-wise manner on a rotation basis or alternate days.
- Since students will attend on a rotation basis, the school has to arrange their academic sessions accordingly.
- Teachers need to take care and educate students who are not gathered in groups and are following Covid-19 safety protocols properly, like social distancing, wearing face masks, and not sharing their things.
- Hand sanitizers should be readily available on the school campus for everyone to use.
- It will be a challenge for the school management to sanitize school premises and school transport vehicles regularly.
- Children can face difficulty adapting to their daily school routine after a long gap.
- School working hours should be limited until the coronavirus pandemic is entirely under control.