Uttarakhand Govt Allows Schools To Reopen For Classes 9 To 12 From Monday, Std 6 To 8 From Aug 16; All You Need To Know

Schools have been asked to make arrangements for the immediate isolation of a COVID suspected person. Earlier, the Punjab government allowed reopening of schools for all classes from August 2.

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Dehradun: Uttarakhand government has allowed schools to reopen for Class 9 to Class 12 from Monday. State Education Minister Arvind Pandey gave information in this regard.

"All schools have been asked to strictly follow COVID 19 protocols and classes will function in two shifts where a number of students are higher," State Education Minister Arvind Pandey said.

As informed, schools have been directed to follow COVID norms and classes will function in two shifts where the number of students is higher.

"Schools in Uttarakhand which have long been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will reopen for Classes 9 to12 on August 2 and for Classes 6 to 8 on August 16," officials said.

An order has been issued by the state government saying it is applicable to all boarding, day boarding government, and private schools.

All schools have been asked to sanitise their premises thoroughly and give entry to students only after their thermal screening and hand sanitising at the gates. Students should not be forced to attend the classes physically as the option of online attendance will also be available to them, the order informed.

Students who come to school to attend their classes must have the consent of their parents or guardians for doing so, it added.

Online classes for students of Classes 1 to 5 will continue as earlier.

To ensure COVID norms adherence, the schools have also been asked to appoint a nodal officer to oversee the same and take action in case of any violations.

As per the order, Wearing masks, social distancing and frequent hand sanitising will be compulsory for all students, teachers and members of staff.

If anyone on the school premises is found having COVID-19 like symptoms such as fever, cough or cold, the nodal officer in consultation with the school management and the principal have to immediately inform the district administration and health authorities.

Schools have been asked to make arrangements for the immediate isolation of a COVID suspected person.

Teachers, members of staff and students who reside within the school premises must be given entry only after they produce a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 48 hours, the order stated.

Hybrid mode of education will be adopted by the schools, which means simultaneous holding of the classes both physically and online by live streaming them on mobiles and other devices, the order added.

Earlier, the Punjab government allowed reopening of schools for all classes from August 2, with adherence to proper protocols to ensure COVID appropriate behaviour.

"All schools are allowed to open for all classes from 2nd August 2021, they shall follow proper protocol to ensure COVID-19 appropriate behaviour," the official order stated.

(With Agency Inputs)