Odisha Child Rights Panel Suggests Formula For Resuming Classes Of Upper Primary Students

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) is contemplating to recommend the state government to resume offline teaching for Class VI to VIII on priority with odd-even formula, its chairman Sandhyabati Pradhan informed on Wednesday.

“Keeping the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of the third wave, during which the children are most likely to be infected, steps have to be taken to ensure their safety,” she told the media.

She informed that the Commission had a meeting in this regard with all Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs), Director of the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) and senior officials of the Health Department on Tuesday.

“The primary school children are under severe mental pressure having been confined to home due to the closure of their schools amid COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years. This has severely affected their well-being and physical growth. The Commission will, therefore, recommend the government to allow Class VI to VIII students to attend school,” Pradhan said.

She said that the Commission will ask the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), School and Mass Education Department and the Health Department to issue a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the safety of the children attending classes to ensure their safety.