Coaching centres for Civil Services, Engg, NEET to open
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: The Union Territory administration today allowed reopening of schools for students of Classes 10 and 12 with certain conditions.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta in his capacity as Chairperson State Executive Committee (SEC). It was also decided to retain most of the COVID-19 containment guidelines, including night curfew.
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In a series of measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, the administration on April 18 had ordered closure of all educational institutions, including Universities and Colleges, till further orders.
In an order issued after a review of the COVID-19 situation, Mehta, said Classes for students of 12th standard would be permitted with in-person attendance not exceeding 50 per cent of capacity on a given day.
“Consent shall be obtained from the parents of all students who are willing to attend the school. The school premises should be thoroughly sanitised and proper screening regarding vaccination should be done on the school gate.
“If any student or teacher or other school staff shows symptoms of cough, cold, or fever, they will not be allowed to enter the school. The head of the school must ensure that the guidelines related to social distancing and COVID protocols are strictly followed,” the order said.
The Deputy Commissioners can allow in-person classes for students of 10th standard following all protocols.
“Limited in-person teaching of students of 10th Class, not exceeding 50 percent on any given day, and after ensuring compliance with COVID Appropriate Behaviour by the school authorities can be permitted by the concerned Deputy Commissioners after due screening through 100 percent Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR subject to consent of parents and students. The schools will strictly follow COVID related protocols,” the SEC order said.
“The schools, except for relaxations as provided for students of 12th and 10th classes, shall continue to remain closed for on-site/in-person teaching,” the order said.
It said the coaching centres for civil services or engineering or NEET examinations would be permitted with limited in-person teaching for fully vaccinated staff and students.
“All other coaching centres shall continue to remain closed for onsite/in-person teaching,” the order said.
Experts, however, said that majority of students from Class 10th to 12th are below 18 years of age for which COVID vaccination hasn’t been permitted so far by the Central Government. They wondered that how the students from these three classes will be vaccinated.
The order said the higher educational institutions would be permitted to commence limited in-person teaching subject to 100 per cent vaccination of staff and students and specific permission of the Deputy Commissioners.
“Such institutions can organise special vaccination camps in consultation with district administration,” the order said.
It added that the night curfew would continue to remain in force in all districts from 8 pm to 7 am, while all Deputy Commissioners shall intensify testing by making optimum use of available RT-PCR and RAT capacities.
All Deputy Commissioners have also been asked to focus on the positivity rates of the medical-blocks under their jurisdictions.
“Intensified measures, related to COVID management and restriction of activities, shall be undertaken by the DCs in these Blocks,” the order read, adding, “There shall be renewed focus on Panchayat level mapping of cases and micro-containment zones shall be constituted wherever unusual spike of cases is noticed.”
The State Executive Committee has asked the Deputy Commissioners to keep active track of the positivity rates in the blocks and consider implementing stricter control measures in closed clustered spaces like public and private Offices, Community halls, Malls, Bazaars etc, in case weekly positivity rate goes beyond 4 percent in these Blocks.
The District Magistrates, as per the order, shall strictly ensure that there is full compliance to COVID Appropriate Behaviour and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant Sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code. “The District Magistrates shall constitute joint teams of Police and Executive Magistrates for enforcement of COVID Appropriate Behaviour.”
“Positive cases detected as a result of intensive testing need to be isolated/quarantined at the earliest and their contacts should also be traced,” the SEC order said and called for immediate isolation and treatment of COVID-19 patients in treatment facilities, hospitals and houses.
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