The school education department has asked government and government-aided schools to give details of the preparatory plans on sanitisation, availability of kitchen devices and drinking water, prior to reopening of campuses for classes I to VIII.
The department has sent the schools a checklist to provide details of the preparatory plans.
Although the Bengal government has allowed resumption of schools for physical classes from classes IX to XII November 16, students of classes I to VIII are not coming to the schools.
In the checklist the schools have been set a suggestive time plan — December 20 — by which the institutions would have to get themselves ready in the respective areas.
Since midday meal is provided to the students of classes I to VIII, schools have been asked to work in areas that include preparedness of kitchen-cum-store, kitchen devices/ utensils, dining hall, LPG connection, rice availability, apron-headgear-hand gloves for cook-cum-helpers, rice container, cooking oven, etc.
The schools also have to furnish details on the readiness of hand-washing facilities and toilets.
An official of the department said the exercise does not mean that the government had taken any decision on reopening the schools for students of classes I to VIII.
“It is a stock-taking exercise. While the department will consider this feedback before taking any decision, factors like what is the rate of infection, whether the new coronavirus variant is posing a fresh risk, would also be factored in,” said the official.
According to the checklist, the concerned cook-cum-helpers engaged in preparing midday meals should be vaccinated by December 24.
The project director, cooked midday meal programme under the department, has drawn up a Google form for collecting the details.
Entries are to be filled in within the suggestive time plan as mentioned in the checklist and submitted within December 3.
School-wise entry has to be done at the block level.
A copy of the notice on the checklist has been shared with all the district magistrates of the state.Education minister Bratya Basu said in the middle of November that the department planned to reopen schools for all the classes in phases.