Only 50% students per classroom from tomorrow

New Delhi: Allowing only 50 per cent students per classroom, mandatory thermal screening, staggered lunch breaks, alternate seating arrangement and avoiding routine guest visits are among the guidelines announced by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) for reopening of schools and colleges from September 1.

The DDMA has said that students, teachers and non-teaching staff living in Covid containment zones will not be allowed to come to schools and colleges. Following a marked improvement in the Covid situation in the national capital, the Delhi government on Friday had announced that schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching institutions would reopen from September 1. The Delhi government had clarified that no student would be forced to attend physical classes and the consent of parents would be mandatory. "Schools and colleges should prepare a timetable as per occupancy limit of classrooms following Covid norms.

A maximum 50 per cent students per classroom may be called depending upon capacity. The seating arrangement should be done in such a way that seats are occupied in an alternate manner," read the DDMA guidelines notified on Monday.

"As the situation varies from school to school and college to college, the institutions may stagger the schedule to avoid crowding in classrooms and at main entrance or exit," the DDMA said.

Lunch breaks may also be staggered and preferably be held in open areas as students will remove masks while having food. Students should also be advised to not share lunch, books and stationery items, the guidelines added. While the government has noted that the vaccination centres and activities like ration distribution which were going on in different schools will continue, the DDMA said the area being used for these activities should be separated from the area which will be used for academic activities. "In this regard, district administration shall cordon off the area demarcated for the purpose, make separate entry and exit for the centres and deploy sufficient number of civil defense volunteers to avoid mingling of students with the persons coming with students," the DDMA said.

"On campus counselling and guidance of students and teachers to be conducted to give emotional or trauma support for their readiness with new normal of stringent physical distancing, face mask guidelines and hygiene guidelines," it said.