SHILLONG: Schools in the state are likely to reopen shortly after a state-centric SOP is adopted by the Cabinet next week.
Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said on Wednesday, “Since the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued the protocol for opening of institutions from September 21, we will allow teachers to go to school. The students can visit their schools subject to getting a written permission from their parents.”
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has allowed reopening schools for Class 9 to Class 12 from September 21. The ministry said that students of these classes can come to school on a “voluntary basis.”
Principal Secretary Education, Donald P Wahlang informed that a meeting was held on Wednesday with the Education Minister to have a preliminary glance at the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Health.
Wahlang said, “The Department is now preparing a separate SOP taking the local needs and requirements separately and would place it with the Cabinet next week. Only then would the dates be finalised. The Core committee formed had its meeting on Tuesday at DERT and the consultations would continue again next week.”
He said it would take some time to submit any report as the operational guidelines and way forward from the Government of India have not come as yet.
“We will co-opting some experts also to give views on certain issues before submitting the report,” Wahlang said, adding that the financial requirement will be worked out along with the Report.
Meanwhile, regarding truncated syllabi Rymbui informed that a reworked syllabus would be given so that teachers and students would know how and what to prepare.
“A Committee to study the New Education Policy (NEP) has been formed with the Principal Secretary Education as the Chairman. The Committee is now studying the NEP and no report has been given as yet. This may take time as the Committee not only has to do an in-depth study of the NEP but also work out the way forward and the challenges ahead,” Rymbui said, adding that until the Committee submit its report it would not be proper for him to say what are the budgetary requirements and how to meet them.
Private schools
Considering that the pandemic shows no signs of abating teachers and parents are in a dilemma about how to respond to this directive.
Principal, St Edmund’s School Br. Solomon Morris says he is asking only the Class 10 students who need help to come to school with the explicit consent of parents.
“We are now collecting data to see which students need help in which subjects and accordingly we will ask them to come to school in groups of 5 so that we can maintain social distancing. We are not calling the Class 9 students at this point.”
Proprietor of Rosebud School, Umpling and former president Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association, ED Nongsiang said, “Students of Class 9 and 10 who require counselling and who need to meet teachers can come to school but we will organise it in such a way as to maintain social distancing. Most schools are crowded and will not be able to hold regular classes during these challenging times.”
Vice Principal Seven Set School, Geddelia Nongbri, said, “We are waiting to get proper directions from the government. Our school is ready to open and if Classes 9 & 10 have to start we will have to get the students in batches to maintain social distancing. Otherwise the school has been fumigated and sanitised and kept ready for whenever directions come for reopening.”