Chandigarh, February 06: After reopening government schoolsin phased manner, the Punjab Government has decided to make theresidential Meritorious Schools situatedat Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali, Gurdaspur,Ferozepur, Sangrur and Talwara( Hoshiarpur) functional from February 9.
Punjab school education minister Mr. Vijay Inder Singla saidthat due to unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Meritorious Schools wereconverted into Coivd Care Centers and hundreds of Covid positive patients werequarantined there.
The cabinet minister said that these residential schoolswere being run under the aegis of "Society For Promotion Of QualityEducation For Poor and Meritorious Students of Punjab" to provide free education facilities along with boardingand lodging exclusively to the students aspiring to crack competitive entranceexaminations to seek admission in medical and engineering institutions. Headded that after the decision of reopening of these schools, the directions forstrict adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines have been issued for the students,teachers, Mess, Canteen Workers.
Mr. Vijay Inder Singla said that due to the pandemic, theentrance test for the admission to Meritorious Schools could not be conductedlast year for the aspirant students seeking admission in class 11th.
“The Punjab government, considering their aspirationssympathetically, has decided to provide an opportunity to the 11th classstudents studying in Government schools, who have enrolled themselves forappearing in the Entrance Examination for seeking admission to MeritoriousSchools last year, to take the entrance examination this year. They would beadmitted to 12th class in Meritorious Schools on merit basis for the session2021-22,” the school education minister said.
Mr. Vijay Inder Singla said that the 12th class students ofall the Meritorious schools as well as the 10th class students studying inMeritorious School, Talwara ( Hoshiarpur), who wish to join the school with theconsent from their parents, would have to bring the COVID-19 negative report (RT-PRC Certificate). He added that all the students shall bring necessarybelongings like sanitizers, seven usable masks (washable), soap, stationery/water-bottles, clothes etc. and sharing /exchanging of these items will not beallowed.
“This principleshall also apply to the Mess/Canteen contractors and workers deployed by them.The guidelines to get the mess, canteen and hall sanitized immediately havebeen issued. The persons bringing vegetables and eatables for the mess shallalso subject to thermal scanning and should have COVID-19 negativecertificate,” Mr. Singla said.
The cabinet minister said that at the entrance of the schoolgates, thermal scanners shall be provided to security staff so that all incomersare screened before entering the school premises. The students shall bequarantined for 24 hours after joining the schools. The aspect of socialdistancing in hostel rooms as well as classrooms would be strictly adhered to.There must be a minimum of 6 ft. distance in between the beds in hostel roomsand in classrooms separate benches would be provided to each and every student.The strength of the sections would be doubled to maintain proper socialdistancing. The male/female wardens would monitor the adherence of socialdistancing in each and every room of the hostels. Students counseling shallregularly be ensured by teachers/ wardens to take care of their mental,physical and emotional health.