Chennai, September 24: Effective October 1, students of classes 10 to 12 in Tamil Nadu are permitted to come to their schools on a voluntary basis by following the Standard Operating Procedure to prevent spread of coronavirus, the state government said on Thursday.

The students must be divided into two batches and those placed in the first batch shall come to school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the second on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. COVID-19 Tally in India Crosses 57-Lakh Mark With 86,508 New Cases in Past 24 Hours, Death Toll Rises to 91,149.

Schools located in containment zones are, however, not permitted to function and only those outside of hotspots could allow students, a state Government Order, citing the Centre's 'Unlock-4' guidelines of August 29 and accepting a proposal of the state school education department, said.

It permitted students studying in standards 10 to 12 in government, aided and private schools to come to schools on a voluntary basis and with the written consent of parents for taking guidance from their teachers and for further related works with effect from October 1.

It also allowed the schools to call upto 50 per cent of teachers who are taking classes for standards 10 to 12, the G.O said. The government made it clear that assemblies, sports or other events that can lead to overcrowding must be strictly avoided.

Measures to prevent spread of the pandemic and explained in the SOP such as thermal screening, wearing face masks, social distancing and disinfecting the school premises must be followed. Instead of biometric attendance for teachers/staff, alternative arrangements for contactless attendance should be made. Coronavirus in India: Live Map.

The Centre's unlock-4 order permitted upto 50 per cent of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to schools at a time for online teaching, tele counselling and related work, in areas outside the containment zones only with effect from September 21. Schools in the state have remained closed since March in view of COVID-19 lockdown.

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