- Saturday, April 20, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
SCHOOLS for all classes on Monday (2) reopened in the northern Indian state of Punjab, with physical classes resuming for pre-primary levels after a gap of a few months.
On Saturday (31), the Indian National Congress government of the state had allowed resumption of the state’s schools from August 2 as it relaxed Covid restrictions in the wake of the declining number of cases.
Schools for pre-primary and standards 1 and 2 in the state had reopened in February after a gap of 10 months after they were suspended in March last year following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government had allowed reopening of schools for classes 10 and 12 from July 26 before all classes were reopened.
Punjab has 5.99 lakh (0.59 million) people affected over 16,000 people have died so far.
The children were happy to return to their schools after the long break.
In Ludhiana in Punjab, a Class 9 student named Ridhi was ecstatic over the reopening of her school – DAV Public School. “We were really fed up sitting in our homes,” she told PTI.
Many students said given the constraints due to the pandemic, schools and teachers were doing their best by providing online education, “but it cannot be a substitute of physical classes”.
However, there were people in the guardian community who expressed apprehension over the resumption of classes given the fact that the pandemic is still not over.
“Has the COVID-19 pandemic got over? Is this the good time for reopening of the schools?” Deepak Soni, whose grandchildren are studying at Sat Paul Mittal School in Ludhiana, asked.
The state’s main opposition party – the Aam Aadmi Party – appealed to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to clarify the situation over the concerns raised on the decision to reopen all schools, government and private, in the state.
Leader of the opposition Harpal Singh Cheema asked the government the basis on what report such a decision was taken. He said it is related to the lives of 60.5 lakh (6.05 million) children, who constitute 20 per cent of the state’s population and are also its future.
On Sunday (1), Punjab school education minister Vijay Inder Singla said the timing of schools will remain the same, which is from 8 am to 2 pm India time. Parents will have to give written consent before sending their wards to schools.
Singla said the reopening of schools would play an important role to assess the learning of students during the pandemic as the teachers were able to contact the students through virtual classes only. The minister has also directed the department officials and school managements to ensure proper cleaning of premises and classrooms in the school and follow the Covid norms in accordance with the guidelines of the central and state governments from time to time. Virtual classes will also continue for students who are unable to attend school.
