Punjab is all set to reopen its schools for all classes — from pre-primary to senior secondary — from Monday onwards. However, the parents’ written consent is mandatory to attend the physical classes, to be held from 8 am to 2 pm.

Besides conducting random testing in schools with the ratio of 100:1 students, the State’s District Education Officers have been asked to ensure both doses of COVID vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff before allowing them to conduct physical classes.

“All schools will be conducting physical classes, right from pre-primary to senior secondary level. The timings will remain the same from 8 am to 2 pm and parents will have to provide written consent before sending their wards to schools,” said the state School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Sunday.

Singla said that the reopening of schools would play an important role to assess the learning of the students during the pandemic as the teachers were able to contact the students through virtual classes only.

“After the assessment of the students, the teachers would focus on the fields which will be requiring more attention. The reopening of schools will also provide a chance to the schools and teachers to teach the practical subjects in a better way by conducting practical classes,” he said.

Singla also directed the Education Department officials and school managements to ensure proper cleaning of premises and classrooms and follow the COVID-19 safety norms precisely as per the guidelines of Government of India and Punjab Government from time to time.

He said that the detailed guidelines have been issued to all District Education Officers which have also been circulated to all schools.

The Minister directed the District Education Officers to ensure both doses of COVID vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff before allowing them to conduct physical classes and should also arrange availability of vaccine for school staff on priority basis in liaison with respective district administration.

He said that random testing will also be conducted in schools with the ratio of 100:1 students and secretary school education will be reviewing the situation on a weekly basis.

GUARANTEE STUDENTS’ HEALTHCARE TO PARENTS: AAP TO CM

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to clarify the situation over the concerns raised on the decision to reopen all government and private schools in the State. The party asked the State Government that on the basis of which report of doctors and education experts, such a big decision had been taken. “This is a decision related to the lives of 60.5 lakhs children, who constitute 20 percent of the total population of the state, and also the future of Punjab,” said AAP’s senior leader and the Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema.

Cheema said to allay the worries and anxieties of lakhs of parents, the Chief Minister, School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu along with ruling Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, should make it clear that the State was completely free from the outbreak of COVID.

“Is Punjab now completely safe from the threat of Delta variants, including the second and most talked about third wave of the COVID? Shouldn't parents and teachers be concerned about the new COVID cases that have been on the rise across the country for the past three or four days?" he questioned.

“Are all the technical, medical, and especially physical distance related arrangements of six feet as per COVID prevention guidelines ensured in all 19,500 government and 9,500 private schools before their opening?” asked Cheema, while asking whether the Government, in particular the Department of Education and Health, has assured that all 22.08 lakhs students in government schools and about 38 lakhs students in private schools have full provision of masks by parents or government and no student will enter the school without masks.

Cheema said that if the Government had taken this “sudden” decision to open the schools without any pressure and by thoroughly examining the potential dangers including ground reports of medical, education and technical experts; “AAP has no objection to it and neither the parents nor the people of Punjab should have... Provided that the Chief Minister, Health Minister and Education Minister take clear responsibility for these concerns and guarantee that every child, who goes to school, will be completely protected from the second and possibly third wave of COVID along with the Delta infection”.