AN SOP GUIDE FROM THE OFFICE OF MINISTER OF EDUCATION 2020

School Education Department

Government of Punjab

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

SNAPSHOT 4

THEME 1: STUDENT PROTECTION 5

THEME 2: SCHOOL SAFETY 5

THEME 3: ACADEMICS 8

THEME 4: ASSESSMENTS 10

THEME 5: CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: 11

THEME 6: COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 11

KEY CHALLENGES & CONCERNS 12

AN SOP GUIDE FROM THE OFFICE OF MINISTER OF EDUCATION 2020

School Education Department Government of Punjab

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

How does Covid-19 affect children? The following is FALSE: 1) Children cannot get sick or transmit the virus. 2) Children get sick at the same rate as adults but are asymptomatic. 3) Children get as sick as adults.

Experts in Infectious Disease, Epidemiologists, and studies conducted thus far tell us these are myths and largely incorrect. From what we know right now:

- Children get sick at a much lower rate than adults. But they DO get sick.

1 - Children transmit the virus at the same rate as adults. - There is mixed evidence as to, upon infection, how sick children get compared to adults. Current data tells us the rate is about 50-70% compared to the average adult.

2 -This tells us we need to exercise great caution with regard to how we open our schools. After all, Covid-19 is an unprecedented crisis. Its emergence has put a halt on each and every aspect of life and posed serious challenges for public administrators. Key challenges include reopening schools for the safety, well-being, and learning of students.

Trade-offs should be kept in mind. The educational landscape has suffered greatly due to worldwide lockdowns presenting an unprecedented risk to child learning, protection, and well-being. Several countries have re-opened schools and some are considering the option given the great losses in students' learning. Before developing any Strategy and Guidelines for the opening of schools in Punjab, we need to analyze the best practices/strategies being adopted by other countries to ensure the safe return of students to schools and devise our own given local context, resources, and constraints.

The document will serve as the key document guiding the COVID-19 Response of the School Education Department (SED), Punjab. Its has been divided into six key thematic areas catering to all aspects of school education:

1. Student Protection 2. School Safety 3. Academics 4. Continuous Professional Development 5. Assessments 6. Communication Strategy

1 The likelihood of infection is higher for children with parallel illnesses (similar to adults). 2 This data is still evolving.

School Education Department

Government of Punjab

SNAPSHOT

School Education Department Government of Punjab

THEME 1: STUDENT PROTECTION

● Teach and reinforce the use of masks or face covering. Mandatory for all students.

● Discourage sharing of items amongst students that are difficult to clean or disinfect

● Teach proper Hand Hygiene practices i.e. :

○ Soap and water

○ At least 20 minutes

○ On arrival, before and after meals and snacks, after bathroom breaks and outdoor play

● Offer flexible sick leave policies and practices

● Teach cough and sneeze etiquette

● Limit physical contact amongst students

● Actively encourage employees and students who are sick or who have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19 to stay home.

● Encourage sick students to stay at home until they recover.

THEME 2: SCHOOL SAFETY

The primary goal of school safety is to minimize outbreaks in school settings after reopening. Our goal is to do this via de-densifying schools as much as possible via a set of SOPs shared below:

● Extend school week to seven days a week to increase the runtime of possible shifts.

● Conduct schools in outdoor settings (where possible). Consider installations such as fans and tarps. But fan installations need to be set in a manner to ensure good ventilation.

● Provide water and soap to schools for hand washing and disinfecting. These can form the backbone for handwashing stations.

● Before schools are open, ensure they are thoroughly cleaned, sprayed, and disinfected.

● Disinfect and clean schools twice a day. You can do this with disinfectant, but nearly as effective is a combination of soap and water.

○ Decrease/eliminate the use of shared objects.

● Toilets repaired and disinfected.

● The hiring of sweepers from NSB.

● Ban large gatherings.

○ No school assembly.

○ No large events (miles, August 14th celebrations).

○ No gatherings with more than 10 - 15 outside of class.

School Education Department

Government of Punjab

○ No spectators for sports.

○ No contact sports or sports that cannot be performed at a distance from others.

● A distance of 3 feet/1 meters is mandatory . 6 feet/2 meters is much more preferred. 3 This increased distance prevents the spread of disease.

● The seating Plan arranged and displayed at the entrance of the class and in hallways.

● Duty Rosters for cleanliness, morning & home time duties displayed outside toilets and Office boards.

● Screening & management of sick students, teachers & other school staff.

● Timetable for all classes and locations, clearly displayed at the notice boards, outside each classroom, and mainboard.

● Before students return to school, ensure staff and teachers are trained on operating procedures and orient parent committees, school management groups, and other bodies that involve the community.

● Have teachers orient students on new school protocols in each classroom, emphasizing what to do if they feel ill and promoting safe, healthy behaviors.

● Ensure the safety of the students and no visitor to enter the premises during school hours.

● Develop contingency plans to ensure continuity of learning and continuation of critical services.

● The COVID-19 cell in every school comprises headmaster, teachers, parent, and community member/parent.

● Stagger recesses/breaks (if difficult, one alternative is to have lunch at the desk).

● Purchase and provision of:

○ Soaps

○ Hand washing stations

○ School and washroom cleaning supplies

○ Thermometers

○ Physical distance marking tapes or chalk powder

○ PPE for the sweepers and other related staff

○ Self-hygiene kits

● Procurement of:

○ Khakroobs/Sweepers

School Education Department Government of Punjab

● Recommended measures for hygiene & daily practices:

○ Hygiene & environment cleaning to limit exposure.

○ Health Monitoring and Reporting by Head Teachers regarding temperature checks, monitoring

of corona related symptoms and other related updates of their students.

○ Communication with parents & students.

○ Create a schedule for frequent hand hygiene, especially for young children, and provide sufficient soap and clean water at school entrances and throughout the school.

○ Educate everyone in the school about COVID-19 prevention, this includes appropriate and frequent hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, mask use if mandated, symptoms of COVID-19, and what to do if you feel sick. Non-contact greetings should also be advised.

○ Schedule regular cleaning of the school environment daily, including toilets, with water and soap/detergent and disinfectant.

○ Assess what can be done to limit the risk of exposure, or direct physical contact, in physical education classes, sports, or other physical activities and play in playgrounds, wet areas, and changing rooms.

○ Develop a school policy on wearing a mask or a face covering in line with national or local guidance. Provide sufficient medical masks for those who need it, such as school staff and children with symptoms.

● Waive the requirement for a doctor’s note to excuse absences when there is community transmission of COVID-19.

● Consider daily screening for body temperature, and history of fever or feeling feverish in the previous 24 hours, on entry into the building for all staff, students, and visitors to identify persons who are sick.

● Ensure students who have been in contact with a COVID-19 case stay home for 14 days.

● Establish procedures for students or staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 or are feeling unwell in any way to be sent home or isolated from others.

● With regards to communication with parents and students:

○ Inform parents about the measures the school is putting in place and ask for

School Education Department
Government of Punjab

○highlighting the help they can get through schools (e.g. psychosocial support). Additional school-related measures

● Consider increasing the number of teachers, if possible, to allow for fewer students per classroom (if space is available).

● Advise against crowding during school pick-up, and if possible avoid pick up by older family or community members (e.g. grandparents).

● Minimize shared break times, i.e. alternate when and where classes take lunch.

● Discuss how to manage physical education and sports lessons.

● Limit mixing of classes for school and after-school activities. an order for each class to enter and leave the building/classroom

● Initialize COVID Data Drive to inform further policy measures and school safety reforms. See the first two points of the ASSESSMENTS theme to see core issues around data collection.

THEME 3: ACADEMICS

The academic support shall be extended to schools through the following modes:

1. Classroom Learning 2. Remote Learning:

○ Taleem Ghar

○ Buddy System/Distance Learning

1. Classroom Learning

● PHASE 1: Blended Learning: Grades 4 till 12:

○ Day 1-20, Essential previously taught SLOs revised for all subjects, to scale the student’s learning.

○ PCTB to indicate the pertinent SLOs, which lead to progression in the next class.

○ SUBJECTS TAUGHT: English, Mathematics, and Science.

School Education Department Government of Punjab

○ HOMEWORK: PCTB to develop productive homework regime guidelines. For example: write down the topics and content for the remaining subjects. Social Studies- Students asked to write a topic in their notebooks, which will help them understand and comprehend better.

○ Grades 10-12: staggered Lab classes (afternoon).

● PHASE 2: Blended Learning- Subjects added (Urdu, Social Studies, Islamiat & General Knowledge)

● Ensure age-appropriate and frequent follow-up and support for children out of school and avoid penalizing or stigmatizing such students.

● Staggered Classes:

○ Stagger classes and recesses/breaks for High Schools.

○ Higher Secondary and Secondary (Grades 9-12) classes scheduled thrice a week- (Monday till Wednesday)

● (Thursday till Saturday): Given Homework & Taleem Ghar/TeleSchool.

○ Elementary Classes (Grades 6,7 and 8) thrice a week- (Thursday till Saturday)

● (Monday till Wednesday): given homework- Taleem Ghar/TeleSchool.

○ Primary- (Grades 4 and 5) (less COVID-19 cases)

● Phase 1: Piloted in Tehsil Headquarters

● Phase 2: Grades 2 and 3

● AT HOME: Given Homework & Taleem Ghar/TeleSchool.

○ PHASE 1: Only piloted in TEHSIL HEADQUARTERS- Single Elementary & Primary Schools- Based on enrollment, staggered classes-

■ Given Homework & Taleem Ghar/TeleSchool.

○ PHASE 2: To be opened all over the Tehsil- Single Elementary & Primary Schools- Based on enrollment staggered classes- Given Homework & Taleem Ghar/TeleSchool. ➢ Physical distancing (e.g. modify timetables, move classes outdoors, ventilate rooms). ➢ Ensure the admissions open for Grades 9th and 6th. ➢ Move classrooms outdoors under a kanat/tent and fans (for warmer areas), where needed. ➢ In Districts, where Insaf Afternoon Schools are prevalent, stagger classrooms with the same SoPs.

2. Remote Learning:

● Taleem Ghar

School Education Department

Government of Punjab

o The detailed and comprehensive plan for Taleem Ghar to be formulated. o Add subjects and classes. o Encourage digital learning platforms to share their video content on lessons, after approval from PTCB and SED. o Feedback and support:

Þ Helpline number: by PMIU/SED/DEAs Þ SMS system to answer the queries by the students- District wise Þ Feedback data to analyze the impact assessment.

● Buddy System/Distance Learning

○ Enhance and continue Taleem Ghar and tele schooling. Or similar methods, by blended methods where necessary and possible.

○ Voluntary Return to Schools.

○ Each teacher forms its own WhatsApp group to guide students and respond to their learning queries.

○ If the schooling is not possible, invite students to take text-books home or arrange to deliver assignments.

○ Take home learning packets linked to Taleem Ghar Lectures to incorporate mix learning i.e. students to be directed to view lectures at home and work on assignments in school with teacher guidance.

THEME 4: ASSESSMENTS

● Upon reopening schools, perform student assessments for teachers so they can see what level the students are at. This will establish a baseline (PEC to develop a support template). Learning losses are expected to be very large and thus, the accurate assessment will be necessary to fully understand this.

● Secondly, assess what new school dropouts look like and what communities especially face dropouts. Utilize this info to better inform awareness efforts.

● Student assessments to evaluate the student's need, subjects valuation, and to what degree. They will allow a reassurance for parents that their children are receiving the due level of support in learning.

● Item Bank developed by PEC, teachers trained and supported on Formative Assessments.

● MCQs and quizzes replace assessments for half the academic term. This will enable students who are left behind so they do not get disillusioned to the point of

School Education Department Government of Punjab dropping out. It will be incorporated into the report cards.

THEME 5: CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

● Re-designing teachers training programs for the provision of training online and adding COVID-19 preparedness as a component in the training modules (QAED).

● CPD Training piloted and capacity built-in districts through master trainers and AEOs in formulation and guidelines in the following areas:

○ SoPs and precautionary measures on COVID-19.

○ Classroom pedagogies on the condensation of SLOs.

○ Formative assessments.

○ MCQs and quizzes – to be recorded as a student's progress report.

○ The mix of Online and Non-Online learning plans.

○ Collect data on Covid-19.

○ Engage and support students on homework assignments, to engage them in learning.

○ Psycho Support: to identify, support, and monitor such students.

● These training will have to be planned rigorously as items such as teacher guides, digital or physical, will help to a degree, but not be as effective in comparison to direct training.

● For effective monitoring and support, training for AEOs, DEOs, CEOs and School Heads (to be conducted in the last week of July)

THEME 6: COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

● Run an educational campaign through media on the following core areas: 4

○ Importance of handwashing.

○ Importance of masking.

○ A full tutorial on how to make cloth masks at home.

○ Emphasis on, if sick, teachers and students should stay home voluntarily. 5

● Use an SMS campaign weeks (if not months) prior to schools opening to inform parents and underscore the importance of sending their children to school.

4 On Coronavirus prevention. 5 The threshold for this should be lowered significantly.

School Education Department
Government of Punjab

● Develop key solutions to make schools safe that healthcare workers can attest to.

● Make a concentrated effort to highlight schools are safe (if they are safe) and have the government declare them so. Send government officials in person to knock on doors and convince people as to the safe state of schools.

● Back up this initiative by having schools cleaned with a PR campaign that shows them as such.

● Avoid a situation where schools will be opened but empty due to a lack of confidence (as seen in Denmark earlier in the year).

● Raise awareness regarding the low (but still possible) chance of children transmitting the virus. This should help build confidence in a return to school.

● Teachers Unions should be made aware of the situation and treated as important stakeholders.

● Healthcare workers should appeal to them to inform them of the reality of the situation in schools so that they are not swayed by unnecessary caution. Could highlight incentives such as the girl’s stipend program and other equivalent programs.

● Parents should be advised to minimize time spent on picking children from school so as not to transmit the viruses amongst themselves.

KEY CHALLENGES & CONCERNS

When schools are fully or partially open, COVID-19 prevention and control strategies should be maintained. Risk assessment could be guided by the considerations below, while recommended actions and requirements are outlined in the following section:

● Issuance of Guidelines/SoPs for schools’ administrators and teachers.

● Effective monitoring at the CEO level to ensure the implementation of guidelines.

● Teachers Provision keeping the COVID-19 precautionary measures in view

● Large learning losses

● Staff Shortages

● Lack of resources to ensure Hygiene in schools

● Lockdown extension in case the infection rate continues to grow

● School resources and infrastructure

○ Does the school have policies and resources in place to ensure appropriate hand and respiratory hygiene, distancing, and limiting crowding?

○ Is it possible to access rooms large enough for desk-spacing? Can the school’s infrastructure be extended, even temporarily, to provide the space that is needed?

○ Does the school have access to adequate materials and supplies to help prevent transmission, such as well-stocked handwashing stations?

School Education Department Government of Punjab

○ Delay in tenders, procurements and distribution/provision

○ Is it possible to reduce class sizes, or alternate the use of facilities daily or weekly by class groups?

○ Delay in tenders, procurements, and distribution/provision.

○ Revenue projections and outlays related to new costs

School Education Department
Government of Punjab

ANNEXURE: I

Supplies Needed For School Wash:

Category Item Description

Community Soap, toilet, bar, approx.100-110g, wrapped

Community /

Hygiene Hand sanitizer Alcohol >60% 500ml w.pump

Community

Hygiene Information, Education, Communication Materials on handwashing, cough and sneeze management, home cleaning (posters, stickers, leaflet)

Hygiene

Handwashing Station (50-100L drum with the tap, wooden/metal

support)

Hygiene

50L drum with cover for chlorine solution preparation/storage

20L bucket with cover for chlorine solution preparation/storage

Hygiene

Cleaning/disinfection kits (commercial disinfectant, detergent, mops, buckets, pails, brushes, latex gloves, cleaning squeegee, etc)

Hygiene Laundry powder, 5KG

Hygiene Lime powder

Hygiene Calcium hypochlorite 65-70%

Hygiene Sprayer 12L

Hygiene Backpack sprayer 20L

Sanitation Squatting plate, plastic, w/o pan, 120x80cm * Tarpaulin, 4x5m

Sanitation Desludging pump

Water

Water tank, rigid, Polyethylene, 500 L -> 2000 L

Water tank, collapsible, 1500L *

Water 20L Bucket with cover and tap, with wooden/metal support

School Education Department Government of Punjab
ANNEXURE: II

Country Wise Schools Re-opening Measures Review:

British Columbia:

● Partial return of K to 12 students i.e. on an optional basis with slow voluntary expansion

● Post-Secondary Education via a mix of Online and In-class learning

● Full resumption of classes by Sep 2020

● Routine Daily Screening of staff and students

● Frequent Environment Cleaning within all schools

● Splitting classes into smaller groups

● Desk Spacing

● Promotion of increased use of online learning balanced against the need for social interaction

Denmark:

● Re-opened daycares and schools up to 5th grade

● Separate Entrances for entering schools to prevent crowding

● Desk Spacing – 6ft apart

● Handwashing every hour

● Handwashing Stations Outside School Buildings

● Splitting classes into Smaller Groups

● Outdoor Classes (whenever possible)

● Playgrounds and Libraries closed

Norway:

● Splitting classes into Smaller Groups

● Outdoor Classes (whenever possible)

● Playgrounds and Libraries closed

● Staggered recall to schools starting from Nursery and Kindergarten and moving onto Primary after a week’s gap

● Disinfection of Classrooms and Toys twice a day

Germany:

● Staggered recall to Schools with priority given to Primary and Secondary Pupils in Final Years

● Hygiene Plan preparation by schools

● Daycares to remain closed

● Youngsters are taught on practicing social distancing

● Pupils wear masks and line up at 5ft intervals in the Playground before being allowed in.

● Mandatory Face Covering/Mask

China:

● Disinfection of Schools

● Designing a lighter workload so students can ease back into classroom work

● Social Distancing Headgear/Caps

● Temperature Checks on arrival

● Hazmat Suits/PPE for staff members

● The entry of Students subject to Green Code on the app calculating a person’s risk of infection

● Personal Thermometers

U.S: ● Purchase of hotspots by school districts,

setting up of community Wi-Fi programs, and distribution of hundreds of thousands of laptops.

● Surveying or contacting families in the district to take stock of technology needs

● Computer Drop-off or Technical Support Sites

School Education Department
Government of Punjab

● Temperature Checks - Twice a day

● Desks spacing – 6ft apart

● Resources and Training on the use of unfamiliar technology products

● Conduction of classes in the open air

● Parents are no longer allowed inside school buildings (stop, drop & go approach only)

● Break-in classrooms

● Desk spacing

● Staggered recall to schools with High School Students in the first phase followed by Middle and Primary Grade Students

● Multi-Lingual Guidelines/Documents

● Designated Portals for Resources to ease the transition to Remote Learning

● Regular Communication with Students and Families by Schools

● Cutting class sizes

● Portable Classrooms

● Protective Gloves

● Review of school buildings and buses cleaning procedures

● Considering extending the school year to catch up on learning goals

● Extending virtual learning

● Use of mixed approaches of both online as well as classroom education

● Staggered lunch timings

U.K (Roadmap out of lockdown):
Israel:

● Phased reopening of schools starting with Primary pupils - reception, Year 1 to Year 6

● Teachers to work with Secondary Students ahead of their exams for Preparatory Purposes

● Exam boards will work with teachers to provide grades to students whose exams have been canceled this summer. The government will use a mix of student performance criteria that include teacher assessments, mock exam grades, and overviews of a pupil's general work.

● Desk spacing – 2m apart

● Staggered Break Timings

● Mandatory Face Covering/Masks

● Parents have to sign a Health Form confirming that their child does not have the coronavirus.

● Desk spacing

● No Physical Contact among students allowed

● Mandatory Face Covering/Mask

● Staggered recall to schools-Grade 1 – 3 to return first

● Children are not allowed to check books out of school libraries, share food, borrow pencils or pens from other students, or play games where touching is involved.

● Staff members who are older than 65, or who have underlying conditions, were not called back to work, since they are more susceptible to complications related to the coronavirus

Taiwan:

● Students wash their hands before each class

● Students sanitize their shoes when they arrive in the morning

India: ● Odd-Even time for classrooms (allowing only

50% of students to be available at a time) or Alternate Week Arrangements

● Social Distancing

School Education Department Government of Punjab

● Dividers/Protective Barriers on students’ desks during mealtimes

● Cleaning Standards for schools and public transport

● Regular Temperature Checks

● Hand Sanitizer Dispensers outside most public buildings

● Mandatory Face Covering/Masks.

● Individualistic Assessment of Students

● Guideline for Parents and Students for attending schools

● Assemblies and Team Sporting Events curtailed

● One Class-One Channel (12 channels from Grade 1 to XII)

● COVID-Cell in Universities for guidance and facilitation

● Placement of Temporary Structures in schools lacking sufficient classrooms

● 6-day week pattern

Japan:
Finland:

● School Opening Timings were pushed back by an hour to stagger Commuting Hours.

● Released guidelines for schools such as opening windows to improve classroom ventilation

● Staggered recall of students to schools

● Remote learning for Upper Secondary and Vocational Students

Tibet Autonomous Region:

● Distance learning through online classes

South Korea:

● Promotion of Hygiene

● The social distancing between Students at Schools

Northern Ireland:

● Effective social distancing

● Strong hygiene routines for schools defined

● Appropriate PPE available wherever required

● Ongoing risk assessments to monitor operations

Malaysia:

● Home-based learning

● TV-based Learning Programmes

● Along with precautionary and teaching guidelines, teachers have been given some leeway to adopt what they think is the best approach to be used during lockdown

● Conduction of survey regarding Devices and Gadgets used at home

New Zealand:

● Voluntary return to schools

● Physical distancing criteria defined - 1 meter apart indoors and 2 meters apart outside

Singapore:

● Temperature Checks at school entrances

● Use of Classroom Cameras to trace exposed students

School Education Department Government of Punjab

● Continuation of Distance Learning capability

● Staggered drop off timings

● Autonomy to work with kids at their age/stage/level and focus on the "key competencies" of life such as building resilience, working with others, critical thinking and problem solving, etc- while building knowledge and skills instead of sticking to the curriculum.

● When students arrive, they sit in their allocated areas, walk through the sanitizing station, gloves station, sign in the station and then follow their directed path to their room. As they enter their classroom, students hang up their bags, sanitize hands again, and then sit at their allocated table in the classroom.

AN SOP GUIDE FROM THE OFFICE OF MINISTER OF EDUCATION 2020