Staff must get vaccinated before reporting for duty: Assam Education Department

VIRTUAL TEACHING

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Education Department has directed both the teaching and non-teaching staffs in all categories of educational institutions to report for duty only after getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

The order issued by the Principal Secretary, Education Department, B Kalyan Chakravarthy on September 7, 2021, further said, "...all teaching and non-teaching staff of Elementary/Secondary/ Senior Secondary Schools/ degree colleges/ universities/ TIs (Technical Institutions) shall have to physically attend schools/ colleges / universities/ TIs; and, they shall impart online/ virtual teaching to the students from educational institutional premises for the students from Classes I to XI, as well as all other classes in the degree colleges/ universities/ TIs excluding those in Class-XII and Final-Year classes/ semesters of the schools/ colleges/ universities/ TIs.

According to an earlier SOP (Standard Operating Procecdure) dated September 3, 2021, the Education Department allowed the offline (physical) re-opening of the Senior Secondary Schools i.e. Class-XII and Final year (classes/ semesters in degree colleges and final-year PG (Post Graduate) classes/ semesters in colleges/ universities and also physical classes in TIs from September 6, 2021.

However, the latest order of the department for starting the online classes states, "The online teaching process will be closely supervised, co-ordinated and monitored by the respective HOIs (Heads of Institutions)."

The order added, "All teaching and non-teaching staff including contractual and fixed pay who have taken atleast one dose of COVID-19 vaccine shall have to physically attend schools/ colleges/ universities/ technical institutions.

"... all other teaching and non-teaching staff who have not taken vaccine till date shall have to get themselves vaccinated within three days from the date of issue of this order (September 7, 2021); and attend the educational institutions."

"However, pregnant women, teaching and non-teaching staff of schools/ colleges/ universities and TIs with children of three years or below — irrespective of their grades — shall be eligible to work from home.

This order will come into force immediately and until further orders, added the press release.

Also Read: Assam Health Department sets October 15 vaccination target

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