The Punjab government Thursday issued a set of guidelines for running government schools in double shift.
An order issued by principal secretary (education) Alok Shekhar said that government schools where the strength of students is beyond the available infrastructure and space, can consider running in double shift. The order added that the decision has been taken after several requests were received from teachers.
According to the order, primary and upper primary schools running on the same campus can run in double shift. The heads of both schools can decide the schedule with mutual understanding and inform the education department.
Further, those high and senior secondary schools are also being permitted to run in double shift where the number of students is very high. Other schools which have shortage of classrooms, space and other infrastructure in proportion to total number of students can also send a proposal to the department if they want to run in double shift, the order said.
Primary schools will function from April 1 to September 30 in morning shift during summers and from October to March 31 in evening shift during winters. Upper primary will function in evening shift during summers and in morning shift during winters.
In summers, morning shift will be from 7 am to 12 noon, and in winters from 7.30 am to 12.15 pm. In summers, evening shift will be from 12.30 pm to 5.30 pm and in winters from 12.30 pm to 5.15 pm.
There has to be some gap between both shifts to maintain discipline, the order said.
School heads have to stay in schools till at least 1.30 pm and during rest of the hours, the responsibility to maintain discipline has to be handed over to other senior teacher, the order said.
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