Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday asked the vice-chancellors and the registrars of universities in the State to follow the standard operating procedures (SOP) to ensure the safety of the students while reopening of the campuses from February 1.
She emphasized on taking care of students’ health, safety, psychological, and nutritional aspects during the resumption of physical classes.
The Governor was virtually reviewing with the vice-chancellors and the registrars on the preparedness of the universities in reopening the colleges with all the safety norms amid the prevailing pandemic conditions.
“Owing to the effective containment of the pandemic by the Central and State governments and the roll out of the vaccine, we are reopening the colleges. However, we need to be cautious in ensuring the safety of the students, faculty, and others. The best possible preventive measures need to be in place in the campuses. Social distancing, hand wash facilities, wearing of mask, availability of quality sanitizers need to be ensured,” she added.
The Governor appreciated the vice-chancellors for conducting the online classes, examinations and declaring the results thus helping the students to continue their education despite the pandemic conditions .
“Telangana was one of the first States to launch the online classes. We need to be the Role Model State in establishing the safe campuses and in imparting the quality education,” Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said.
The Governor also advised the universities to go for the health profiling of all the students to offer them best services in case of any exposure to the Covid-19.
“Experts are pointing out that there could be more pandemics in future, health profiles come handy in such scenarios. Authorities and teachers need to constantly monitor and guide the students in the campuses in adhering to the preventive measures. We should boost their morale and offer psychological support to cope up with the new norms,” she added.
Referring to those students, whose parents are not willing to send their wards to the physical classes, the Governor directed the vice-chancellors and the registrars to make special online classes arrangements for them.
“No student should be left out of the continuing education. We need to use technology. Prepare digital classrooms, online resources and use the social media platforms for the dissemination of the subject knowledge.
Special plans must be in place for those, who cannot access online classes. There should not be any digital divide or gaps in learning,” Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said.
The Governor called upon the vice-chancellors and the registrars to take a proactive approach in implementing SOPs. Transforming our universities into centres of excellence must be our goal.
“My wish is to turn the Telangana State as the number one in educational standards and quality in the country and make it as a role model for other States,” she added.
Special Chief Secretary Chitra Ramachandran informed that physical attendance was not mandatory to allow the students for examinations at school level. Alternative arrangements are in place to offer online classes for those who are not willing to attend physical classes. The SOPs prepared by the State and Central governments will be scrupulously implemented. She added that the State government is fully prepared to ensure the safety of the students in the educational institutions and
prepared exhaustive plans on sanitation, teaching, medical, physical distancing, and contingency plan for the safe reopening and resuming of class work.
Senior IAS officer K Arvind Kumar, who is also the in-charge vice chancellor of Osmania University, Hyderabad, requested for the state- wide policy on the reopening of hostels instead of leaving it to the discretion of the universities. He also pointed out for clarity on the hostels
reopening for research scholars.
JNTU, Hyderabad, in-charge vice-chancellor, and senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan said that they have already started coordinating with all the 261 affiliated colleges for the implementation of Covid-19 prevention safety norms and all the constituent colleges are ready for opening on February 1.
Special Chief Secretary Chitra Ramachandran, in-charge vice-chancellors Jayesh Ranjan, Arvind Kumar, B. Janardhan Reddy, Rahul Bojja, T. Chiranjeevulu, Collegiate Education commissioner Navin Mittal, TSCHE chairman Prof. Papi Reddy, and other vice-chancellors and registrars of all the universities were among those who interacted with the Governor during the video conference.
Health, safety, nutritional, and psychological aspects of the students need to be taken care of while reopening of campuses: Governor
