Schools reopen in AP under strict guidelines by the State Government

The schools in Andhra Pradesh reopened on Monday. While it was earlier announced that the schools were to reopen from 12 June, this got delayed by two months due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. As per the AP State Government’s instructions, some of the schools have been refurbished before they reopen, under the first phase of the Nadu-Nedu Program. Several changes have been made and the school buildings, premises, and classrooms have been given a new look. 

All the school authorities have been given a circular, from the Andhra Pradesh Education Department, with a set of instructions to be followed by all the school managements. According to the AP Education Department, only schools located in the areas with less than a 10 percent positivity rate are allowed to reopen. In order to ensure this, the respective village or ward secretariats should take the responsibility to check the positivity rate on a weekly basis. If the positivity rate is less, schools have been allowed to reopen for classes 6-10 and intermediate, with each classroom limited to only 20 students. 

In the case of any class having a high student strength, with low room facilities, the following has been decided. The school is supposed to take classes in shifts for these grades. The students will be divided into batches and their classes will be taken on alternative days. All school managements have been instructed to conduct only classes and skip assembly and sports activities. 

All students have been advised to maintain social distancing and sit at alternative chairs/benches in the classroom. They have been asked not to share pens/pencils or water bottles with the other classmates and wear masks at all times on the school premises. Keeping in view the third wave threat, parents have been advised to keep a check on the health of their children and be alert if they are found sick. Children with cold/cough/fever have been advised to stay at home so as to avoid the spread of infection. Also, once the child is back home from school, he/she is to sanitise their bags and uniform before entering the house. 

The major task in making the schools in AP safe for students is the daily sanitisation of classrooms by the sanitary staff. Getting paid less salary, not many of the sanitary staff are willing to come to work, especially when it comes to sanitising the school premises. This raises the question of how prepared the schools are for welcoming the students. 

Meanwhile, a majority of the teachers in government schools have been vaccinated. All the private schools have been instructed to see that their teachers are vaccinated with both doses in the next few weeks.