The schools under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are getting ready to implement the health and safety protocols as part of the partial reopening for revision and doubt clearing sessions from January 1 onwards.
The Council of CBSE Schools Kerala and the CBSE School Managements Association have urged the members to strictly ensure the guidelines issued by the authorities ahead of the partial reopening. The managements have to disinfect all areas, furniture, equipment, stationary, storage places, water tanks, kitchens, wash rooms, laboratories on the campuses.
The schools have to ensure availability of key supplies like thermometers, disinfectants and soaps. As suggested by the Union Ministry of Health, there must be at least six feet distance between students in the revised seating plan. It is advisable to mark the seating that students should occupy. Similarly, physical/social distancing should be maintained in the staff rooms, office areas and other places of public interaction.
The authorities could consider staggering the timing of entry and exit for students of different classes. The managements have to display signages and markings for enforcing physical and social distancing and safety protocols. The ban on spitting has to be strictly enforced. They could mark circles on ground at different places like reception, water facility and hand washing stations, areas outside wash rooms as part of the safety guidelines.
School campuses have to be cleaned daily. The authorities have to ensure frequent cleaning and sanitisation of commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs and latches inside and outside the classrooms. All teaching materials including teaching aid, desks, chairs, computers, printers, laptops, tables have to be disinfected regularly. The availability of soap and clean water at all hand washing facilities should be ensured. If possible, alcohol-based hand sanitiser may be placed at prominent places like reception and entrance of the school. The managements have to ensure frequent cleaning and disinfecting of wash rooms.
The wearing of masks should be made mandatory. The students need to learn on how to cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow and avoid touching face, eyes, mouth and nose, according to the guidelines.
