All technical educational institutions in the State, which are closed due to the Covid-19 situation, would reopen from August 9, the Skill Development and Technical Education Department said on Wednesday.
The technical universities, diploma, ITI, degree and polytechnic colleges would reopen for physical classroom teaching for final year students in the first phase with adherence to the Covid-19 protocols. All hostels of the educational institutions would also reopen. The following is the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for conduct of physical classroom teaching:
*Physical classes shall be held in regular manner to cover all chapters of the syllabus irrespective of coverage of some chapters by online mode.
*Whenever possible, the physical classroom teaching shall be recorded and shared with absentee students.
*Teachers/staffs/students residing in active containment zone shall not come to the universities/ colleges.*Face mask/ face cover shall be mandatory. Frequent hand wash/ hand sanitisation shall be ensured.
*Social distancing (6 ft) shall be adopted in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, etc. If needed, crowded classes can be divided into batches and teaching hours in a day can be extended.
*Spitting shall be strictly prohibited.
*Respiratory etiquettes shall be strictly followed (covering one’s mouth and nose by handkerchief while coughing/sneezing).
*Self-monitoring of health should be encouraged.
*Reporting of illness by students and staffs shall be mandatory. Isolation room in all hostels should be kept ready for immediate shifting of any inmate reporting illness.
*In addition to commencement of physical classroom teaching for UG/ PG/ Diploma/ ITI courses, research activities shall also commence in physical mode from the same date.