GUWAHATI: After a gap of six months, schools will reopen in four of the seven states in the Northeast from Monday but by adhering to the Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP).
In all these states such as Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram, informal classes will be taken for students from 9-12 but attendance is voluntary. Those willing to attend the classes will have to carry a written consent from parents or guardians.
The SOPs issued by the states were in line with the Centre’s guidelines. They pertain to restrictions as regards the number of students, teaching and non-teaching staff who can come to school, timings of classes besides sanitization.
“The classes will be informal and attendance is voluntary. Students will come to school to clear doubts. Formal classes will begin only after the assessment of the Covid-19 situation,” Assam’s Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Nagaland is reopening the schools to enable students seek academic guidance. In an order, the state government said 50% teaching and non-teaching staff, who reside outside containment zones, would be allowed to come to school for online teaching and related work.
“Students of classes 9-12 may be permitted to visit their schools in areas outside the containment zones on voluntary basis for taking guidance from teachers subject to written consent of their parents or guardians, strict adherence to the SOPs,” the order reads.
Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said students could meet their teachers to clear doubts. There will neither be regular classes nor classroom sessions, he said.
Among all states in the Northeast, Assam has been worst affected by the pandemic. Till Sunday morning, the number of cases recorded was 1,55,453 including 548 deaths. Meghalaya recorded 4,557 cases, Nagaland 5,392 and Mizoram 1,578.
The states in the region not reopening schools are Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. With 22,032 cases, Tripura is the second worst-hit state in the Northeast. Arunachal and Manipur recorded 7,250 and 8,724 cases respectively.