BHUBANESWAR : The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) has requested the School and Mass Education (SME) department to reopen schools from Class VI to VIII across the State in a phased manner.
OSCPCR chairperson Sandhyabati Pradhan in a letter to School and Mass Education department Secretary Satyabrata Sahu stated that during a State-level interaction programme, the participants including parents and teachers appreciated the reopening of schools for secondary and higher secondary students and also voiced their support for commencement of classes in physical mode at elementary (primary and upper-primary) level.
“The department may issue necessary instruction to allocate one-and-a-half hour each day for each class twice a week,” Pradhan recommended, while calling for consultation with school management committees (SMCs) for reopening of schools.
“The SMCs along with the teachers may rework the school development plan in context of Covid-19 to develop a risk assessment and management plan. The SMCs can be empowered to fix the date of reopening and timing of their respective schools,” the OSCPCR chairperson stated.
While a section of parents under the banner of Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangh have opposed the recommendations in view of a possible third wave which is expected to infect more number of children, the OSCPCR chairperson has underlined the need for reopening of schools to ensure development of children’s mental and physical health. “During our interaction with CDMOs, RMRC Director and health experts, it came to fore that e-learning from home for a long period is leading to mental stress.
Besides, it also hampers children’s physical growth,” Pradhan said, adding she has urged the School and Mass Education department to restart offline classes with all Covid safety measures in place and after ensuring double dose vaccination of eligible school staff. The commission also recommended additional financial support to schools, if needed, to ready the classrooms after due consultation with the SMCs.
Since the School and Mass Education department already has a guideline for payment of ex-gratia grant towards accident relief for students from Student Welfare Fund since March 2015, the scope for covering Covid related medical expenses can also be explored and extended using this fund, Pradhan suggested.