BHUBANESWAR: The State government on Wednesday granted permission for reopening of hostels for students of Class X and Class XII from July 26. However, parental consent is a must for students to join the hostels.
School and Mass Education department Additional Secretary Pratap Kumar Mishra said all school hostels under the control of department as well as those under ST, SC development, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities departments and private schools will be reopened from July 26 with all Covid-19 measures in place.
The department has issued an SOP to be followed in the hostels to prevent Covid transmission. While heads of the institutions and hostels will have to ensure that students maintain safe distance, the common areas in the hostels such as mess and toilets need to be disinfected at regular intervals.
The school management has to ensure availability of adequate quantity of soaps and hand sanitisers both in schools and hostels. It also has to counsel students staying in the hostels about health and hygiene.
School headmaster/principal will have to be in touch with the local doctors and healthcare workers to ensure periodic check-up of the inmates. Besides, the hostel wardens have to ensure that inmates are not allowed to congregate at one place inside the building.