School bells ring again
Students conducting the morning prayer inside the classroom. (Above) A teacher checking the temperature of a student before allowing her into the classroom on the first day of reopening of schools, in Warangal on Monday.
Warangal: The school bells have finally rung again, after almost a gap of one year due to outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic that still holds world in its grasp.
If one goes by the numbers in terms of attendance, it may be disappointing but it's understandable especially when the people world across are yet to come out of the doom created by the coronavirus.
It seems like that parents were skeptical about their wards' health owing to the new strains of coronavirus. It may be mentioned here that the State government took a decision to run the schools for the Class IX and X after it had the consent of nearly 60 per cent of parents. The government also gave leverage that parents have a free hand in sending their wards to the school. It also clarified that there won't be any minimum attendance clause.
Against this backdrop, the schools reopened on Monday and the turnout of students of Classes lX and X in Warangal Urban district is far better than other in the erstwhile Warangal district.
Speaking to The Hans India, District Education Officer of the Urban district K Narayana Reddy said: "It is encouraging to start with 47 per cent of students making it to the classes on the first day of the reopening. There are 468 State-run and private schools across the district and 16,813 students of the total of 34,056 have attended the school. The numbers could go up further soon."
Warangal Rural DEO D Vasanthi said, "We have taken all measures in tune with the government's guidelines. Being the first day, the poor turnout of the students' is expected. The number of students studying Class lX and X is 16,206 of which 6,157 attended amounting to 37.99 per cent. It includes government and private schools."
Follow up measures are being taken to infuse enthusiasm among the absentees to turn to schools, she said. Our focus is on sanitisation and implementation of Covid-19 protocol, she said.
In Mulugu, predominantly a tribal district, the situation is even more discouraging as only 21.15 per cent students showed interest to attend the classes. While the number of students is 8,541, only 1,810 turned to schools.
"I am happy to be back in school after a long gap. Although, I have got adapted to online learning, the classroom studies are different altogether as we can clarify our doubts with teachers and friends," said Anamika, a Class X student of a private school in Warangal.