Government firm on reopening of schools on September 5; parents differ
Government firm on reopening of schools on September 5
Kakinada: Even as the State government announced that schools will open on September 5 (Techers Day), many parents are not keen on sending their children to classes yet, amid rising Covid-19 cases in East Godavari district.
The issue of the opening of schools has become a vital issue and is causing anxiety to the parents. Many of them are against opening of the schools so early. The government decision to begin admissions of students in government schools has come in for serious criticism from parents and other organisations.
Psychologist and international corporate trainer APJ Vinu demanded that both Central and State governments declare 2020-21 academic year as Zero Year. He said that the government should not allow online education, keeping the difficulties of rural students and problems being faced by students, parents and teachers during the Covid-19 crisis. He said that in view of the increase of the Covid-19 cases day by day in East Godavari district, parents are afraid of sending their wards to the schools.
In view of having one or two children, parents say that they can't afford to send their children into a perilous environment during this pandemic. Parents also demanded that schools should not be opened till vaccines are made available abundantly in the market.
"The deadly novel Coronavirus is spreading rapidly. It is not a question of teachers being safe. It is about the welfare of students," a senior teacher remarked. "I have a child below 10 years of age. On one side you say they shouldn't step out and then you say they can go to school. Why is the government in such a hurry to open everything when cases are increasing everyday? Let the vaccine be found then we will see," said VT Lakshmi, a parent.
She said that teachers, parents and children are not happy with online classes. Daisy, another parent said she would not send her two kids to school for an "experiment".
Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF) district general secretary KS Subramanyam told 'The Hans India' that they would abide by the guidelines of the government. He said the government has to protect the government staff and not expose them to the virus. He said, "We are requesting the government to give tabs and notepads to give online /offline education.
The government had instructed to implement alternative academic plans from Class 1 to 10 from July 27 to September 4. The APTF is requesting teachers to follow it wholeheartedly as it is useful to the rural poor pupils."