THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The bio-bubble model, which is one of the key suggestions in the final guidelines on school reopening released on Friday, is aimed at preventing Covid spread among a large number of students and thereby ensuring uninterrupted academic activity in schools. In the bio-bubble model, a small batch of students interact only among each other and a limited number of teachers and staff.
Schools will reopen on November 1 for classes 1 to 7 and also classes 10 and 12. For classes 8, 9 and 11, the reopening date is November 15. Classes will be held from Monday to Saturday (except public holidays).
Health Minister Veena George, who along with General Education Minister V Sivankutty released the final guidelines on school reopening here, highlighted the importance of the bio-bubble model. “Members of a bio-bubble will be together in school and will not mingle with members of another bio-bubble. If one member of a bio-bubble develops Covid symptoms or tests positive, the entire bio-bubble will have to go into quarantine,” Veena said. She added this method would isolate other students from the disease spread.
As per the final guidelines, parental consent will be mandatory for students to attend classes in schools. Students who cannot attend classes can continue to do it online. Sivankutty said teachers will be assigned to prevent crowding of children on the campus. A detailed academic calendar would be published soon, he added. The government will arrange ‘students only’ KSRTC services and also hold discussion with private bus owners to ensure smooth conveyance for schoolchildren, he said.
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