Odisha Govt Issues SOP for Distribution of Textbooks to Students

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government today issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for distribution of textbooks to the students of various schools across the state in the wake of the situation arising due to COVID-19 outbreak.

The SOP is meant to guide school authorities of all schools in the State in the distribution of textbooks to the parents/guardians following the precautions and infection prevention protocols as prescribed by health department from time to time, an official statement said.

While the distribution process is allowed in the Green and Orange zones, containment zones have been barred from the facility as per the Government’s COVID-19 preventive measures.

“During the prevailing lockdown, all schools have been closed. By continuous initiatives from government level, textbooks have been provided to all students of Class 1 to Class 8 of schools under the school and mass education department for the academic year 2020-21. It has come to notice that some schools have faced challenges to provide textbooks to their respective students,” the SOP issued by the School and Mass Education Department said.

“The school authorities have to schedule their process of distribution of text books days wise (no of parents /guardians to be distributed with text books) so that they can complete the work by observing the above stated guidelines. Parents/ guardians should be given prior intimation of the distribution schedule through WhatsApp/ phone message, so that there is no unnecessary crowding at the textbook distribution centres. They must wear mask/ cloth as per guidelines issued by the Health Department,” it said.

“Distribution of textbooks in Red Zone can also be taken up following precautionary measures of social distancing/use of mask and hand hygiene as prescribed by the Health and Family Welfare Department. Distribution of textbooks is not allowed in containment zones under any circumstances. It can be taken up after the zone comes out of the containment category, deviance in compliance to this SOP may lead to stern action against the concerned school authorities as per disaster management act/rules,” the SOP reads.

The school authorities should ensure adequate sitting/waiting space for the parents/guardians (preferably 30 people with 15 of them at counters and 15 in the waiting lobby) to enable them to maintain social distancing norms and all parents and guardians are to be provided hand sanitiser/soap and water for disinfecting their hands.

The school staff engaged in the counters for distribution of textbooks should also wear mask/ cloth and gloves and maintain social distancing norms, the SOP said.