After deciding to open the schools of the state for physical classes the Uttarakhand administration released Standard operating Procedure (SoP) for the reopening of the schools on Saturday. The physical classes for the students of classes IX to XII are opening from August 2 while for the students of classes VI to VIII the schools would open from August 16. For students of classes I to V the online mode of studies would continue.

In an order directed to the education director and other officers of the department the Education secretary Radhika Jha said that the schools should compulsorily sanitise the classes and school premises on a regular basis. The order also mentions that all the teachers and staff members should get themselves vaccinated and the activities such as prayers, Bal Sabha, sports and cultural programmes would remain suspended in the schools. As per the SOPs the students and staff members would be allowed in the premises only after thermal scanning and proper hand sanitisation. The schools would nominate one teacher as a nodal officer for communicating with the health department officials and ensuring Covid appropriate behaviour in the school. The SOP clearly mentions that the schools should adopt both online and physical modes of teachings for the students. The schools where the number of students is more can call students in two shifts on odd even patterns.

The schools should take consent of the parents for sending their wards in the schools. In the order the department has directed the chief education officer (CEO) of the district concerned to set up a mechanism of prompt transfer of the information about presence of Covid 19 infection among students.