Odisha schools to reopen from Jan 8, frequent health check-ups to be conducted for COVID-19

The Odisha government on Tuesday said frequent health check-ups would be conducted in educational institutions across the state for Covid-19 after the reopening of schools and colleges.

Taking a review meeting, chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra asked the Health Department to undertake health check-ups in educational institutions and hostels as a preventive against any possible large breakout of the pandemic.

While schools for classes 10 and 12 would reopen on January 8, colleges and universities for final years would reopen on January 11.

The heads of the educational institutions were asked to be in constant touch with local health workers and doctors and report them any suspect case immediately.

"Now that we are opening up many normal livelihood activities, schools, colleges and hostels, we have to be more focused on the expeditious implementation of the projects amidst the Covid restrictions. We have also to get ready for vaccination," said Mohapatra.

Secretary Health and Family Welfare Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra has asked all the District Collector/DMs, all municipal commissioners, all Chief District Medical (CDM) officers and PHOs to conduct weekly health check-in of the Students, Teachers and non-teaching staff in school and colleges in their respective jurisdiction.

Secretary has asked the authorities to take necessary steps for mobilization of local ASHAs/ANMs with instructions to pay visit to the nearby schools and conduct weekly health check-ups of students and staff as a precautionary measure and facilitate the testing of symptomatic cases by rapid response teams (RRTs).

School reopening guidelines

School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said there will be no further reduction of the syllabus for school students. Earlier, the department had announced slashing of the syllabus by 30%.

Sanitisation and safety of all students is a priority of the government, the minister said, adding that around 25 students will be kept in each section for the classes. Accordingly, the number of sections will be increased in case there is more number of students, he said.

The government has decided that classes will be held for 100 days before the examinations for 10th and 12th students. Therefore, there will be no holiday on Saturday and Sundays. Only Observation Days will be holidays.

Classes will be held for Class 10 students from January 8 to April 26 and Class 12 students will attend their classes from January 8 to April 28.

Board of Secondary Education (BSE) will conduct the High School Certificate (HSC) examinations from May 3 to May 15. The Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) will conduct the 12th examinations between May 15 and June 11.

Meanwhile, the government has also issued a guideline for the opening of the hostels.

(With agency inputs)