SHILLONG, August 27: Meghalaya government has issued following protocols which come into force immediately, for allowing students to attend classes in state’s colleges to be reopened from September 1 next both in urban and rural areas:
- Consent of parents is paramount. Parents will have final say on physical presence of their wards, attendance norms shall be relaxed. Teaching hours will be limited to three to four hours per day and no cultural gathering or sports events will be permitted.
- Colleges will have to provide isolation facilities and tie-up with local health departments for any emergency situation.
- The Deputy Commissioners have been empowered to assess the risk locally and decide on reopening of Colleges. In this regard, a Task Force Committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner to monitor the resumption and safe operations of Colleges shall be constituted by the respective Deputy Commissioners and Principals of prominent college shall be nominated as Member Secretary along with the District Medical Health Officers and other College Principals and Community Leaders as members. The Task Force Committee is empowered to assess the COVID-19 situation and the feasibility of College reopening.
- For the safety of the staff and students, vaccination is encouraged for teachers/staff.
- Non-vaccinated teachers/staff shall have to undergo mandatory RTPCR test every 10 days and submit the test certificate to the College head.
- Only 50% students shall be permitted to be present in a class at a given time and to ensure this, Colleges will call students on shifts or alternate day. A safe distance will be maintained between two benches and students in accordance with extant regulations.
- In the event of sickness of the student or a family member, the student is advised to stay at home.
- It will be the responsibility of the College to ensure such a student’s learning gap is compensated by the College.
- Use of face covers/masks to be made mandatory.
- Frequent hand washing with soap and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
- Respiratory coughing/sneezing with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed elbow to be followed. 12.Prior resumption of activities, all work areas intended for teaching/demonstrations etc., shall be sanitized with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution.
13.Colleges that were used as quarantine centres will be properly sanitized.
14.The College should display State helpline numbers and also numbers of local health authorities etc. to teachers /students/ employees to contact in case of any emergency.
- Appropriate backup stock of personal protection items like face covers/masks, visors, hand sanitizers etc. shall be made available by management to the teachers and students. 16. Ensure availability of sufficient covered dustbins and trash cans and Provision for proper disposal of used personal protective items and general waste (available at: https://cpcb.nic.in/uploads/Projects/Bio-Medical-Waste/BMW-GUIDELINES COVID 1pdi)
17.Housekeeping employee to be informed & trained about norms for waste management & disposal
- Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitizer dispenser) and thermal screening provisions. Multiple gates/separate gates, if feasible, should be used for entry and exit. 19.Posters/standees on preventive measures about COVID-I19 to be displayed prominently. 20. Proper crowd management should be followed and entry of visitors should be strictly regulated/ restricted
- Sharing of items like notebook, pens/pencil, eraser, water bottle, etc. amongst students should not be allowed.
22.College buses shall be exempted from the odd and even rules.
- Regular Cleaning and disinfection (using 1% sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces Provision of soap in toilets and hand sanitizers in other common areas in sufficient quantity must be ensured.
24.Teaching materials, computers, laptops, printers, shall be disinfected with 70% alcohol wipes.
- Students should not be involved in any of the cleaning activities for health safety reasons.
- Sensitize students, parents, teachers and employees for create awareness on COVID appropriate behaviour, as detailed under generic measures above.
27.If a student, teacher or employee is sick, they should not come to the College and follow necessary protocols in this regard.
- Parents will be solely responsible to maintain students’ hygiene (uniform, tiffin, bags, etc.)