Reviewed on 16 July 2020
COVID-19 Preventive Guidelines and Preparation at Bahan International Science Academy
Although we are all facing the ‘New Normal’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe that providing education should be continued for all children of school age.
We are currently planning to reopen the BISA campus for school on Thursday, 13th August. However, if the government does not permit opening physical classes, we shall start online teaching and learning on the 13th August, the same date. We will strictly follow the guidelines for school reopening by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Sports, Myanmar.
The reopening of BISA will be guided by the following principles:
- Prioritize the health and safety of students, teachers and all staff.
- Provide students with some familiarity of school routines for social / emotional / academic learning.
- Educate and encourage the prevention of Covid-19 to all teachers and staff at school.
- Maintain focus on the school mission, vision, and strategic themes.
This is an exciting time for Bahan International Science Academy (BISA) as we re-imagine school, learn from the past and prepare for new academic opportunities. We look forward to working with you to accomplish these goals for the benefit of everyone.
Health and safety guidelines
- Visitors are not permitted on campus without prior appointment from the school.
- Everyone must wear a face mask or a face shield to enter or leave the campus. In classrooms, students and teachers must wear a face mask or face shield.
- Posters about Covid-19 education will be prominently displayed in key areas, and policies and guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be shown on school television monitors.
- All activity on the campus will follow physical distancing of the 2-meter rule.
- Students are on campus only for the duration of the school day, or when they are involved in a scheduled activity.
- Students may not enter the campus before 7:45 a.m.
- Parents’ waiting area will be the open space and well-ventilated area (New Canteen) and parents are also required to practice physical distancing of 2 meters.
- Parents are suggested to leave the campus after dropping their child off, and pick the child up immediately after dismissal time.
- All extra-curricular activities, gatherings and assemblies will be cancelled.
- Avoid sending your child to school if he/she feels unwell or sick (temperature 39˚C / 100.4˚F and above) or having symptoms such as fever, cough and/or sneezing.
- Teach the proper way of washing hands, the proper way of wearing a face mask, dos and don’ts, sneezing and coughing etiquette to the students before coming to the school and during school hours.
- Ensure the students have nutritious foods, enough sleep and good practices for personal hygiene.
- The school has prepared one separate room for staff or students if they have a high body temperature or suspicious symptoms or seem to be at risk of infection.
- BISA Covid-19 Prevention Committee is led by the School Management Team and the members working together are representatives from parents, teachers, staff and our school nurse. The committee will work together with governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to give feedback, suggestions and follow up procedures throughout the school year for Covid-19 prevention.
- Students must practice physical distancing of 2 meters upon arrival to school. Neither handshaking nor getting closer than 2 meters to each other is allowed.
- At the school entrance, the students have to form a line at least 2 meters apart to monitor the body temperature and there will be temperature recognition sensors supervised by the school nurse and assigned teachers.
- Please contact a responsible person at school or the nearest health department immediately if a student has a fever or body temperature more than 38°C or 100.4°F.
- Hand wash stations and hand sanitizers will be available at student arrival areas.
- Parents have to check the temperature and symptoms of their child/children every day, and fill in the form provided by school before sending them to school.
- To minimize the contact among crowds of students and to promote physical distancing, BISA will follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Education by dividing the classes into different sessions.
- Every class will be divided into two to three different sessions and the students will come to school according to the assigned schedules.
- Delivering the lessons with physical distancing guidelines by the Ministry of Health and Sports (6 feet apart) should be followed by the teachers, students and staff at school.
- Students should bring homemade meals to school (snacks, water, etc.).
- Students will be reminded to wash hands / use hand sanitizer every recess and before having a meal.
- Lunch boxes will not be permitted to be dropped off either from parents or outside vendors.
- Students should sit in designated areas in class while eating. This area will reflect social distancing guidelines and eating together in groups will not be allowed.
- Cleaning staff will use the provided disinfectant to thoroughly clean the tables after the meal.
- Students should follow the provided paths when going up and down the stairs and they should stay five steps apart on the stairs while in motion.
- The homeroom teacher/teaching assistant/classroom leader will divide the students into groups for different recess times.
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- Students must go back home immediately and are not allowed to stay on campus after classes are over.
- The elderly and people with underlying disease are not allowed to pick up the students.
- Each grade will be given a designated dismissal time.
- Younger students will be taken to the dismissal area by teachers or released to their designated place.
- Prolonged parking will not be allowed at BISA campus.
- Students should immediately change from their school uniform and take a shower on arrival home.
- Hand sanitizers will be available at the entrance of all classes.
- All seats will be assigned 2 meters apart.
- Unnecessary items from the classrooms will be removed.
- Students can bring only minimal items that are necessary to the lesson.
- Lockers will not be available to use.
- ACs will be switched off and windows and doors will be opened to increase air flow and ventilation.
- Students must wash their hands at least once every two hours as well as before meals, after recess, after PE, after using the toilet or any other time before they enter the classroom.
- The number of students on the school bus will be limited to ensure physical distancing.
- Students have to sit at a designated seat with a zig-zag formation, and are not allowed to change seats.
- The bus driver and students have to wear face masks at all times while on the school bus.
- Hand sanitizers of 60% alcohol will be provided on the school bus. The students should use hand sanitizers while getting on and off of the school bus.
- Disinfecting the school buses will be done on a regular basis.
- Air-conditioning on the school buses will not be used and the windows will be opened.
- Prior to and after class hours, housekeeping will be responsible for sanitizing the classroom with sodium hypochlorite 0.1% solution.
- The housekeeping staff will continually disinfect high-risk areas and regularly touched surfaces, equipment and appliances.
- All areas around the campus including the classrooms, labs, stairs, walk ways, playground, basketball court and football pitch will be disinfected with UV light or disinfectants on a regular basis.
- The whole school compound will be sprayed with insecticide fogging by professionals on every Saturday afternoon to reduce the risk of mosquito borne diseases during the rainy season.
- Deep cleaning and school wide disinfection will be conducted by housekeeping staff on every Saturday.
- Students are expected to adhere to all new procedures so the school can follow the guidelines for health and safety.
- As per the health and safety guidelines, students must play only with their designated group of playmates.
- Students must maintain a two-meter distance while playing.
- The usage of school facilities will be scheduled for different classes per recess. The schedules will be displayed near the designated areas.
- Students have to strictly follow the schedules and duty teachers will be assigned to supervise the students at the designated area.
(Morning Sessions)
| Days | Primary Playground | Basketball Court | Football Pitch | Table-tennis Area | Library |
| Monday | Year 2 | Year 6 | Year 5 | Year 4 | Year 3 |
| Tuesday | Year 3 | Year 2 | Year 6 | Year 5 | Year 4 |
| Wednesday | Year 4 | Year 3 | Year 2 | Year 6 | Year 5 |
| Thursday | Year 5 | Year 4 | Year 3 | Year 2 | Year 6 |
| Friday | Year 6 | Year 5 | Year 4 | Year 3 | Year 2 |
Secondary & High School schedule to provide safe opportunities for outdoor recess.
(Afternoon Sessions)
| Days | Library | Basketball Court | Football Pitch | Table-tennis Area | Office Corridor |
| Monday | Year 7 | Year 10 & Foundation | Year 11 | Year 9 | Year 8 |
| Tuesday | Year 8 | Year 7 | Year 10 & Foundation | Year 11 | Year 9 |
| Wednesday | Year 9 | Year 8 | Year 7 | Year 10 & Foundation | Year 11 |
| Thursday | Year 11 | Year 9 | Year 8 | Year 7 | Year 10 & Foundation |
| Friday | Year 10 & Foundation | Year 11 | Year 9 | Year 8 | Year 7 |
- PE lessons will maintain regular schedules but with limited class sizes.
- Classes will be arranged only in the Basketball Area and Football Pitch (the gymnastics room will no longer be used).
- Any sports equipment used in classes will be thoroughly disinfected before and after every class.
- Lessons will be limited to non-contact, socially-distanced fitness activities and games.
- Students will be required to wash hands on completion of PE classes.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be available outside the gym doors.
- Everyone must wipe down their computer, iPad, mouse, etc. several times a day.
- Online meetings will be used instead of physical meetings whenever possible.
- When working in the same room, all will adhere to the two-meter distance guidelines, spread out in meeting rooms, and wash hands before entering a room and after leaving a room.
- Teachers’ rooms and offices are allowed to be entered or exited only after washing hands and by strictly following social distancing guidelines.
- Personnel who show symptoms of any kind should not come to school or, if at school, will be sent home.
- Staff can return back to school only if they have been symptom free for 48 hours without the use of medication.
- Staff who have come into contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 should stay at home and be guided by Health Authority Instructions.
- If anyone presents any Covid-19 symptoms, the suspected individual will be separated from the classroom immediately and will be sent to the school clinic.
- Staff who show symptoms of any kind should not come to school or if at school will have to go home. Staff with mild symptoms can return to school only if they have been symptom-free for 48 hours without the use of medication. They should seek local medical resources for health advice or seek emergency medical care.
- The school nurse will be fully dressed in PPE as soon as she receives the information and will perform a brief physical examination of the suspected individual and she will contact the local health authorities immediately for further procedures.
- The suspected individual will be kept in the separate room until he/she is picked up from school. They will use the pathway from the separate room to the exit gate directly, without passing near the classrooms.
- The classroom and the facilities used by that suspected individual will be disinfected immediately, and individuals who have been close to the suspected person will be separated from the classroom.
- On recovery from sickness, a recommendation letter by an authorized doctor is required when returning back to the school.