The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has reminded the schools to ensure that only 30 percent students attend the schools from September 1 to 3, 2020 under ‘3-Phases Back-to-School Plan’ for 2020-21 academic year.
Schools have the flexibility to organise the attendance of the students according to number of divisions at each class level to ensure that only one-third of students attend a day during first three days (September 1 to 3, 2020), the Ministry tweeted yesterday.
The opening of all public and private schools, including kindergartens, for the 2020-21 academic year will take place in three phases. Phase one will be from September 1 to 3. Attendance will be limited to one-third of total students in all grades.
The second phase will be two weeks from September 6 to 17 using the mixed learning model. The maximum attendance in public and private schools will be 50 percent.
Students will be split into two groups and rotated over a course of two weeks. Group 1, 50 percent students will attend in-person in the first week and study by distance learning in the second week. Group 2 will study by distance learning in the first week and attend school in the second week.
Attendance for grade 12 students 66 percent is mandatory because it is a crucial year for them. As much as 100 percent students will attend schools from September 20, 2020.
The preventive and precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 will continue throughout all phases.
A recess period of 25 minutes will be given to students during the school day. The school hours are from 7:15am to 12:30pm.
The class period schedule will be organised in a way that allows for three different timings for the recess period in order to reduce the number of students in each period.
For example, the recess break will start right after the 2nd period for some divisions, after the 3rd period for other divisions and after the 4th period for the rest of divisions.
Schools will rearrange and space out desks to ensure social distancing is maintained.
The school theatre and gym may be used to provide more space for student seating.The Educational Affairs Sector and Private Education Sector provided guidance on attendance to the public and private schools nationwide including specialized and special education schools.
Schools and pre-schools will need to notify parents, via different means communication, of the attendance mechanism for the first three school days. The importance of students’ attendance should also be stressed.