Covid-19 prevention measures: Schools, institutes issued guidelines
View(s):School authorities will be busy in the next few weeks as they need to meet the requirements set by the Education Ministry, before the schools can be reopened.
Installing hand washing facilities at the entrance and exits, near toilets and close to classrooms, ensuring an uninterrupted water supply, purchasing temperature monitoring equipment, preparing a fully equipped sick room and getting academic and non-academic staff to prepare a plan inclusive of post COVID-19 student sitting arrangements and time tables, are some of the instructions given by the Education Ministry.
The circular ‘preparing education institutions to prevent the spreading of COVID-19’ has been issued to provincial, district and zonal level education officials, heads of teacher training colleges, pirivenas and government and private school principals.
“All equipment and materials purchased should be done as a new project, and it will be funded. Until financial arrangements are made, it is advised for unutilised funds available in the school development society accounts allocated for approved projects to be used,” the circular said.
Prior to reopening, schools and institutions should be thoroughly disinfected. If the premises have been used for other purposes, the place should be handed over three days prior to the day of re-opening, to be disinfected and cleaned, the circular said.
All school and institution heads are requested to be in contact with the area Medical Officer of Health (MoH). In case of an emergency, they need to call 1390 for assistance.
Parents, development society committees and past pupil associations should be made aware of the preventive measures and academic and non-academic staff should be trained on how to handle work in the new situation, the circular said.
Once academic work commences in schools and institutions special attention should be given to maintaining social distance, personal hygiene practices, proper waste management, mental well-being and awareness of the latest developments of the disease and relevant preventive measures.
The circular makes it mandatory to appoint ‘health promotion committees’ at provincial and zonal levels. It also stated that re-opening will take place only after these committees ensure it is safe for students.