The state secondary education board on Friday issued a notification mentioning the revised hours for Classes IX to XII and asking students to report half an hour before the start of classes.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had on Monday announced that government-run and government-aided schools could reopen for Classes IX to XII from November 16.
The state government on Thursday issued a set of guidelines to be followed by schools for the resumption of in-person classes.
“Students of IX and XI shall report at 9.30am and their classes will be held on and from 10am to 3.30pm. Similarly students of Class X and XII shall report at 10.30am and their classes will be held on and from 11am to 4.30pm,” reads the notification issued by Kalyanmoy Ganguly, the president of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education.
Copies of the notification have been sent to the heads of all schools affiliated to the board and the state council of higher secondary education.
The notification states that classes for IX to XII may be held every day from Monday to Saturday.
Each class (from IX to XII) may be “divided in two or more separate rooms depending upon resources available (class routine be accordingly adjusted),” the notification states.
The schools have been allowed to conduct both theoretical and practical classes for XI and XII students.
All schools must be properly sanitised and Covid-19 protocol will have to be followed. All students, teachers and non-teaching employees have to wear masks and follow the physical distancing norm.
“Also proper awareness may be created among students/guardians about norms of Covid-19 protocol,” the notification says.
A day after the detailed guidelines were issued, government and private schools have started implementing the standard operating procedures in preparations of bringing students back to the campus.
“We have divided our classes into smaller groups and are preparing the routine accordingly. We will also start practicals for Classes XI and XII,” said Parimal Bhattacharya, headmaster of Jadavpur Vidyapith.
The school will also conduct exams on the campus for Classes X and XII. “That will help them practise writing offline exams,” he said.
At Howrah Jogesh Chandra Girls’ School, the sanitisation of the premises will be over in a couple of days and the authorities are planning to make the seating arrangements according to the government’s guidelines.
“Two students will sit on either end of the bench in alternate rows. We will place ‘no seat’ stickers in between so that girls do not occupy those seats,” said Subhra Chakraborty, headmistress of the school.
Several schools have begun preparations keeping in mind the SOP issued in February and the document published on Thursday.
“We had single desks (only one person can use each such desk) for Classes XI and XII and have ordered for IX and X. For the rest of the classes we have double desks. Single desks will help us maintain distancing according to the guidelines,” said John Bagul, principal of South City International School.
Indus Valley World School will hold meetings on sanitisation with the non-teaching and bus staff after Diwali.
“We had done so in February, but since many months have passed and wearing of masks and following protocols are mandatory, we will remind our staff that the norms have to be strictly followed. People tend to drop their guard but we cannot allow that,” said Amita Prasad, director of the school.