HRD Minister Exhorts Schools To Arrange For ‘Post Corona’ Classes Adhering To Social Distancing Norms

New Delhi: Digital education has become the need of the hour at a time when institutions are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shedding light on the future of school education, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal in his live interaction with teachers on Thursday talked about the requirement of  modified seating, timing and class arrangements for re-opening of schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Social distancing will be the most valued principle not only in classes but transport facilities of the schools too. “It is quite possible that classes would be able to accomodate only 30% of the students they used to have before coronavirus,” he said.

NCERT and UGC are already reworking their modalities for reopening of schools and higher education institutes, respectively. 

While UGC has declared that classes for enrolled batches would begin in August and the new session will begin in September, there is no notice to declaring the re-opening schedules of schools. “The health of our students is our key concern. The schools will open once the situation caused due to coronavirus is normalised,” the HRD Minister said.

Elaborating on the structure of the schools post this lockdown, the Minister further added that “the school administration and teachers will carry out various tasks such as defining roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders at the school level defining and establishing health and hygiene and other safety protocols or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) before and after re-opening of schools; redefining or readjusting school calendar and annual curriculum plans, ensuring the smooth transition of students from home-based schooling during lockdown to formal schooling and ensuring the emotional well-being of students,” as per the official notification by the government. 

He also stressed that schools should prepare a checklist so that they do not miss out on anything, which the CBSE may release soon.

Talking about the concerns of today, the Minister reiterated the role of the teachers to dabble in digital learning and urged them to continue digital learning through various online portals like SWAYAM, SAWAYAM PRABHA and Diksha. He called out for innovative and interactive learning ways for Diksha portal, which will aid students and teachers in online education. “So far, over 9000 contributions have been received by the HRD Ministry” he added.