Centre allows schools to reopen from Sept 21 for classes 9-12

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday issued a set of guidelines for holding these classes.

These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will have to be adhered by the schools in order to reopen in areas outside the containment zones.

In a tweet, the Health Ministry stated: "Health Ministry issues SOP for partial reopening of Schools for students of 9th-12th classes on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers in the context of #COVID19."

"This SOP outlines various generic precautionary measures to be adopted in addition to specific measures to be taken when schools are permitting students (for 9th to 12th class)... All States/UTs are expected to comply with the COVID-19 related guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," the ministry added in its guidelines.

The guidelines issued necessitate social distancing measures including the use of face masks, maintaining six feet distance between students, following respiratory etiquettes, installation of Aarogya Setu application “wherever feasible” and prohibition of spitting.

However, the guidelines also mentioned that online and distance learning shall continue to be in operation and is encouraged.

All major educational institutes across the country have shifted to the online mode of teaching-learning since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.