Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
Education Department
No. 1E0/OD/234
dated. 30.09.2021
GUIDELINES FOR RE OPENING OF SCHOOLS
Subject — Guidelines (SOP) for safely starting Schools with Classes 8th to 12th in the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation area for the academic year 2021-2022
References – 1. Government Circular No. 2020/Pr. No. 86 / SD-6 dated 15.06.2020
2. Government Circular No. 2021/Pr. No. 94 / SD-6 dated 07.07.2021
3. Government Circular No. 2021/Pr. No. 113 / SD-6 dated 10.08.2021
4. Government Circular No. 2021/Pr. No. 113 / SD-6 dated 24.09.2021
5. MCGM Commissioner Sanction no. MCG / F / 5286 dated 29.09.2021
According to Reference No. 4 & 5, for the academic year 2021-22, approval has been received to start schools for class 8th to 12th in MCGM area from 04.10.2021. Jt. Commissioner (Education) had organized all officer’s meeting on 29.09.2021 and given detailed instructions regarding necessary action to be taken at the school about re opening of schools. According to the reference circular no 1,2,3,4 and 5 the salient points are being mentioned as follows.
1. Approval of School Management Committee and Consent of Parents :
1.1 School Management Committee should discuss with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) about re opening of schools and detail planning of it.
1.2 Parent consent is necessary for students to attend the school. School management should ensure this.
2. Mapping the School with nearest Primary Health Centre :
2.1 All schools management are required to link their respective school with the nearest Primary Health Centre so that health facilities can be made available to the students as and when required.
2.2 If any student with fever, cold, shortness of breath, scratches on the body, redness of the eyes, cracked & reddened lips, swelling of fingers, hands and joints, vomiting—diarrhoea and abdominal pain is seen then arrangements should be made to take them to the health facility immediately.
2.3 If the child is facing any physical or mental difficulties, It must be brought to the notice of his/her parents through teacher or SMC member and guide them to go for medical check up and medication.
3. Safety and Preparedness :
3.1 Before starting the school it is necessary that all the Teachers and Non-teaching staff in that school are vaccinated otherwise 48 hours prior RTPCR test for covid-19 should be done. The certificate / report issued by the laboratory for this test should be verified by the School Management Committee.
3.2 According to the instructions of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, all employees who are at higher risk level under COVID-19 such as elderly employees, disabled employees, pregnant women employees and employees who are undergoing medical treatment should be more careful and not to come in direct contact with students.
3.3 Entry & Exit should be kept separate if possible for school children and staff. A separate schedule should be set for this in such a way that it avoids congestion in school.
3.4 If any family member of the student is Covid Positive ,such student should not be sent to school instead he/she should be kept under home quarantine.
3.5 No one other then students and school staff should be allowed to enter the school premises except for urgent work.
3.6 Thermal scanning of each student should be done daily at the time of entering the school. In case of any suspicious symptoms of any kind of disease, immediately inform the parents and the Primary Health Centre.
3.7 If any student or school staff is found to be covid positive, the Headmaster should immediately close the school and disinfect the school and isolate them and start medical treatment on the advice of the Medical Officer.
3.8 In case any school staff or student is suspected of covid-19, then he/she should be kept in a room separate from the others and he/she should be given immediate medical treatment (immediate admission to the nearest hospital and there should be strict adherence to the health rules). Care should be taken that such students should not feel aloof and afraid.
3.9 Students should be made accustomed to enter and leave the school in a queue keeping social distancing.
3.10 Masks are mandatory for everyone all the time.
3.11 Make it a habit to wash their hands with soap / hand wash when needed.
3.12 The ban on spitting should be strictly enforced
3.13 Teachers should be careful to ensure that too many students do not gather in one place.
3.14 Schools and classrooms should be disinfected regularly.
3.15 Toilets / Washrooms should be cleaned at periodic intervals using appropriate disinfectants
3.16 Frequent cleaning and disinfection of classrooms and outside classroom surfaces such as toilet handles, study materials, teaching materials, desks, tables, chairs etc. should be done.
3.17 Air condition facilities in class rooms should not be used. if need arises then temperature of A.C’s should be maintained above 24°C.Windows and doors should be kept clean and fully open so that there is circulation of air.
3.18 Everywhere Guidelines regarding physical distancing, use of masks etc. should be displayed.
3.19 Special signs such as squares, circles etc. should be used to avoid crowding in queues at places like drinking watering facilities, hand washing facilities, toilets etc.
3.20 Assembly, Gatherings, Annual day,Functions and other similar events which may lead to large gathering of students should not be organized.
3.21 All the waste in & around the school should be disposed off regularly.
3.22 Restrict the number of persons using the lift.
4. Awareness and mobilization program :
4.1 Awareness programmes should be organised in collaboration with parents, School Management Committee members, people’s representatives, alumni, teachers, NGOs, social workers, etc.
4.2 It is important to create awareness about the importance of reopening of school and the safety of students through local daily newspapers, social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) etc.
5. Seating Arrangements :
5.1 Minor repairs in school buildings should be done immediately.
5.2 Only one student should be seated on a desk bench in each class in a zig-zag manner following the criteria of social distancing. If possible, student should have a fixed place to sit daily. Standard wise seating ‘arrangement of students along with his/her seating position and time must be displayed in front of every classroom.
5.3 A class should have a maximum of fifteen to twenty students at a time.
6. School Attendance :
6.1 Students’ attendance at school is not mandatory and will completely depend on parent’s consent.
6.2 100% Attendance is not mandatory.
6.3 Rewards/Certificates for 100% attendance should not be given due to Covid-19 situation. In future, post pandemic such rewards can be given to students.
6.4 If the number of students are more, then students can be called in two sessions per day. The duration of the actual class should not exceed 3 to 4 hours. There should not be any lunch break. 6.5 If the number of students are more, group the students as per the requirement and according to their group (50% students per group) should be called on alternate days.
7. Teaching – Learning :
7.1 In first one to two weeks, students should be allowed to get used to school without focusing on direct learning.
7.2 Distribute the textbooks, notebooks etc. to the students.
7.3 Teachers should revise the syllabus completed online in the academic year 2020 — 21 and should take decisions accordingly.
7.4 Every teacher is required to make an academic plan of the year by understanding the educational level of the students in his / her class.
7.5 Arrangements should be made for children to carry minimum textbooks or notebooks.
7.6 Students should be encouraged to learn using the Diksha App and educational videos available on BMC YouTube Channel / MCGM website.
7.7 Every week, each teacher should hold an online meeting of the parents to inform them about the topics taught during the week as well as discuss the help required from parents.
7.8 Students should be instructed to submit homework online. Teachers should ensure that there is no exchange of books.
8. Counselling :
8.1 Understand each student’s background and interact with students accordingly.
8.2 Special care should be taken to interact & communicate with students showing sign / symptoms such as excessive irritability, irritability and frustration over small things, not showing interest in anything, showing age inconsistent behaviour (e.g. changes in eating and sleeping habits), abnormal decline in learning abilities etc.
8.3 To provide information about Covid disease and its prevention.
8.4 Students with Covid positive history should be treated as normal students.
8.5 Teachers should solve the doubts/answer the questions raised by parents through offline/online mode.
8.6 If students do not follow the instructions, it should be brought to the notice of their parents.
9. Precautions to be taken while leaving school :
9.1 Only one student is allowed on a seat in school bus/private vehicle.
9.2 Cloth masks should be washed regularly. Teachers should make parents aware about this.
9.3 After returning from school, students should change the uniform. Used school uniform should be wash with soap/ detergents daily. Schools can make school uniform optional.
9.4 Teacher-Parent meetings should be held online.
Education should be provided to the students up to Class VII through online / offline medium without calling them to school.
Check list of all activities to be followed should be displayed in school. Daily SMC members/one of the parents should check the action taken as per the list.
All Supervisory Officers should visit the school in a planned manner to ensure that the school is functioning in a safe and clean environment as per the above guidelines and provide appropriate guidance if necessary, also co-ordinate with the respective Assistant Commissioners and Health Department officials.
(Raju Tadvi)
Education Officer
Copy for Necessary action
1. All Deputy E.O.s
2. All Superintendents
3. All A.0(Schools)
4. All Inspector (Schools)
5. All Head Teachers (MCGM/Private)
Copy for kind information
1. Hon. Mumbai Municipal Commissioner
2. Additional Municipal Commissioner (E.S)
3. Joint Municipal Commissioner (Education)
4. Hon.Deputy Director of Education (Mumbai Region)
