Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Jammu and Kashmir school education department is mulling to reopen schools for secondary and higher secondary classes in the Valley from September 21.
The move comes in wake of the new guidelines issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of India regarding the partial resumption of activities in schools on a voluntary basis.
"The schools will be reopened across the valley with 50 per cent of staff, students. The students would be allowed only after submitting written consent from their parents," a senior official of the School Education Department told ETV Bharat.
"Schools have remained closed for over a year now as such infrastructure needs to be updated and cleaned. Initially, every school will be reopened with all SOPs in place. Heads of the Institutes (HOIs) will decide the roster of their respective staff," the official said.
The official said that up to class 8, only 50 per cent of staff will report to school every day and students of classes 9 to 12 can come voluntarily with 50 per cent attendance.
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"Institution heads will take a call on the roster and decide the timing for students accordingly. It is up to the parents whether they will permit their children or not. Online classes, meanwhile, will continue to function as usual," he said.
Interestingly, schools in Kashmir have remained shut for nearly 13 months - first due to restrictions imposed by the administration following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A and then in March due to the pandemic.
