‘Ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour on campuses’

Education Minister A. Suresh on Saturday urged managements and teachers of educational institutions to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour on campuses in view of the increase in the number of positive cases.

The Minister reviewed the situation in schools and colleges with the officials in a video-conference, and discussed the action plan chalked out for strict implementation of COVID-19 protocol.

He said it was the duty of the teachers to ensure that the students followed the protocol, including use of hand sanitizers and face masks, and maintaining social distance. He said each school kit distributed to students under Jagananna Vidya Kanuka included three face masks.

The outbreak of the virus followed by the lockdown had disturbed the academic calendar last year, but the government did its best to reach out to the students by designing on-line, off-line and hybrid mode of classes.

The Minister said teachers and staff associated with the implementation of ‘Jagananna Goru Mudda’ (mid-day meal scheme) should exercise great caution in maintaining distance and hygiene. He asked the Joint Collectors to supply gloves to ayahs who serve the food to the children.

To continue this academic year, a special SOP had been designed. The officials had also been asked to establish mandal and district-level special monitoring cells for the purpose.

Collectors and Joint-Collectors, with the help of the Medical and Health Department, should ensure availability of thermal scan machines in schools, especially for children of primary sections.

Half-day schools

In view of the half-day schools from April 1, the biometric system had been updated to ensure that teachers and children came to school in time. Officials should regularly visit schools to see if these biometric devises were being put to proper use.

The review meeting was attended by the Joint Collectors (Welfare) of all districts, Vice-Chancellors of Universities, Regional Joint Directors in the Education Department, District Education Officers and Samagra Shiksha wing’s Additional Project Directors.

Director, School Education, Vadrevu Chinaveerabhadrudu, Samagra Shiksha State Project Director K. Vetri Selvi, Commissioner of the Board of Intermediate Education V. Ramakrishna, Special Chief Secretary Satish Chandra, Chairman of the AP State Council of Higher Education Hemachandra and others were present at the media conference.