Telangana: Reopening of residential schools safe bet in Covid lockdown, feel officials

Hyderabad: While Covid cases are going up in the States since lockdown is relaxed, some officials are of the opinion that the social welfare residential welfare schools should be opened as they would be safer for place for the students than their homes.

According to sources in the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions (TSWREI) and Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions (TTWREI), societies are running 280 school-cum-residential schools and colleges. Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official of the TSWREI said, "In all, there are about 280 institutions with about 1.5 lakh students studying in the schools, junior and degree colleges run by these societies."

Further, almost all the residential-cum-schools and colleges of the two societies are full of strength. Then, how to implement the social distancing norms among the hostel boarders once the schools are reopened was the problem staring at these two societies.

Because the existing hostels are full in strength as the enrollment of the schools and colleges have gone up during the academic year 2019-20. "If we have to implement social distance norms among the hostel boarders, then, we have to have extra space," the sources said. Against this backdrop, senior officials are mulling to chalk out an action plan on how to deal with the issue. However, "Finalisation of the action plan will be presented only after the State government announces dates for the reopening of the schools and colleges," the official said. Adding, the general view of the officials and those heading the schools and colleges sharing their opinions during the discussion was that it is better if the students come and stay in the hostels. Because "it would minimise their movement and contacts with the outside world than when they are at their homes. The school-cum-residential system provides the students from the marginal and poorer sections of the society a more safe and secure environment."

The students would be thoroughly screened before admitting into the hostels. Also, they can be asked to follow the Covid norms while attending the school as well as in the hostels, he said.

The two societies are well prepared to complete all this exercise once the state government gives reopening dates. Meanwhile, "our main focus this time was to take care of the students who are coming to the hostels to give their SSC examiantions, starting from June 8. For this, the schools are taking steps in coordination with the local health centres as well as the services of the Pinaki Health Command (PHC) centre, located at the Gurukul Schools Central office of the Tribal Welfare department.