Schools to reopen Zone-wise for classes 8 to12, green zones to take the lead, others would gradually follow

Vinod Kakumanu
June 1, 2020, 12:43 p.m.

Reopening of schools and strategy thereof is being deliberated intensely by the Centre in coordination with the states and UTs.

The point of the strategy of reopening of schools that is unambiguous is that it is going to be phased and zone-wise. This is of course the post-lockdown possible scenario.

According to a suggestion made by the NCERT in its draft guidelines, the schools will call students from class 8 to 12. The children from the junior classes will only attend schools after all the schools, in all the zones have been reopened.

a senior official in the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) said, “We are working on guidelines for reopening of schools after the lockdown and we plan to call only older students because there is a lot of safety risk with younger students. One cannot expect the younger children to maintain physical distance, wear masks, and follow the hygiene rules at all times and we do not want to put them to risk.”

The HRD Ministry will decide upon the reopening of the schools and issue guidelines in connection with it after consultation with ministries of health and home affairs.

It has been emphasized that the guidelines will include a detailed training module laying down the foundations of training that teachers will have to undergo before schools reopen.