The Odisha School and Mass Education Department has announced a change in the timings of offline sessions for Classes 9 to 12 due to the heat wave that has impacted the state. As per the new guidelines, Class 9 and Class 11 will have sessions from 7 am to 9 am as opposed to 8:30 am to 10 am. Class 10 and Class 12 will have classes from 9 am to 1 pm. Earlier the classes were being held from 11 am to 4 pm. The new time table will be applicable from March 1.
The rescheduling of classes is part of the various precautionary measures being taken by the Odisha government to tackle the heat wave situation during summers. These guidelines will have to be followed along with the COVID-19 standard operating procedures already in place.
The new guidelines will be applicable on all the schools under the Odisha School and Mass Education Department including the private, government and aided schools.
Some of the guidelines issued for the schools during the heatwave are-
All schools must have safe, drinking water and for the same they must repair all the tube wells inside the building, and be in touch with the relevant authorities. The District Education Officers (DEO) have been asked to ensure the same in the schools.
The DEOs have been further advised to store enough Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) at the schools which can be provided to the staff members and students in case of need and the same can be procured from the local health officials.
The schools have been allowed to operate their transport facility if available to avoid any exposure to heat for teachers and students. The transport system must be managed while ensuring social distancing in and outside the vehicle.
All parents have been advised to send a water bottle along with their kids and the school headmasters and officials have been asked to make the parents aware about the same.
Further the DEOs have been asked to ensure that the schools make their students aware about the impact of heat waves and ways to protect themselves.
The students must not be allowed to be exposed to heat during the teaching hours and no sporting or outdoor activities should be conducted.
Odisha had reopened its schools for Class 9 and Class 11 on February 8 for limited hours. The schools for Class 10 and Class 12 were reopened from January 8.
