School bells ring after 10-month hiatus across Telangana
Hyderabad: Classrooms in schools and colleges across Telangana came alive on Monday, buzzing with the chatter and laughter of children as educational institutions reopened for physical classes after an unprecedented 10-month gap, courtesy the Covid-19 pandemic.
Students of Classes IX and above returned to the campus, meeting friends and teachers in an entirely different atmosphere, wearing face masks, with staff waving thermal guns to check temperature welcoming them at the school gate, and then, to each one sitting alone on a bench as against the days when friends jostled with each other to sit on the same bench.
Written consent from parents
At several places in the city, parents dropped their wards at their schools and colleges, while some students pedalled to school. Adhering to Covid-19 prevention guidelines, students reached educational institutions wearing face masks. In fact, several school and college managements made arrangements to provide masks to students who did not have one while a few managements also gave face shields. As per guidelines, several students submitted written consent letters from their parents to attend the in-person classes.
One student per bench, 20 per class
Before entering the classes, students were screened for body temperature with infrared thermometers besides being asked to sanitise their hands. In order to ensure physical distancing between students, schools and colleges made arrangements for only one student per bench, while not more than 20 students were accommodated in a classroom in schools.
Though students were excited to get back to school and college for academics, some were apprehensive about the pandemic.
“My parents were hesitant to send me to school due to Covid-19. I too have fear. But as I have to continue my academics, I decided to attend physical classes. I was attending online classes all these days,” said Shilpa, a Class IX student of Government High School, Musheerabad.
In view of the pandemic, educational institutions across the State were closed from mid-March last year. The State government has been conducting online/digital classes for students from September 1, 2020 so that students do not miss out on regular academics.
Colleges offering Intermediate, UG, PG and professional courses have also begun direct classes. For the Intermediate course, classes were held on the shift basis and for the UG, PG and professional courses, only 50 per cent of the students were allowed for in-person classes.
“We received an overwhelming response from students. Out of the 452 students, 385 attended classes at school. We provided face masks and shields to students who did not have one,” said K Krishna Kumar, principal, Government Junior College, Narayankhed.
State records 45% attendance on first day
The first day of in-person classes in the State on Monday, after a gap of over 10 months, saw an attendance of 45 per cent in Classes IX and above. As many as 4,43,507 out of 9,59,914 students enrolled in 11,976 schools and junior colleges including residential institutions under the Education Department turned up for classes.
According to details released by the School Education department, in 4,668 government and local body high schools, 48 per cent of 3,83,858 students enrolled in the Classes IX and X attended physical classes. In case of 6,373 private high schools, out of 3,99,764 students in Classes IX and X, 55 per cent registered their attendance. Similarly, in 404 Government Junior Colleges across the State, 33 per cent of first-year students were present for physical classes. This was out of the 85,255 students enrolled.
Meanwhile, the School Education department has deputed its officers to review implementation of government guidelines on reopening of classes in all schools under different managements.
Special Chief Secretary (Education) Chitra Ramchandran instructed District Collectors to ensure all preparatory plans namely sanitation plan, medical plan and hostel residential plan were fully and continuously implemented throughout the period of running of schools. The Collectors were also instructed to ensure supply of water to all schools through Mission Bhagiratha besides seeing to it that there was no power supply disruptions. She asked district collectors to make available all commodities meant for cooking mid-day meals.
Education Minister inspects schools
Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy inspected the ZPHS – Shivarampally and ZPHS- Jillelaguda as educational institutions reopened on Monday.
Though the written consent letters from parents were mandatory, there were many students who turned up without the letters and were not turned away, the Minister said, adding that schools were likely to register 100 per cent attendance in two to three days.
The Minister also directed school authorities to strictly follow Covid-19 precautionary measures and to take up sanitation besides cleaning of water tanks regularly.
The Minister, who interacted with students, asked them whether they were following the online/digital classes apart from asking them to maintain physical distancing, sanitise their hands and wear face masks.
Since the SSC Public Exams dates were announced, the Minister urged students to prepare well for the exams and to get good scores. She also had lunch along with the students.
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