BHOPAL: Schools across the state will reopen after 16 months for students of Class 12 from Monday. Even as the schools are all ready to welcome its students, the parents are worried about their wards amidst the warning of the possible third wave of Covid-19. Allying fears, the schools management said that they have made all arrangements to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines. Schools will open from for students of class 12 only with 50% attendance. Students will have classes three days per week leaving a second slot for the remaining 50% of students.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced the opening of schools in a programme last week. Schools will be opened in a phase manner. If the situation remains under control, then classes for students of 9, 10 and 11 will also be held from August 15. A review meeting would be held in mid August and then the dates for reopening of all educational institutions including coaching centers will be announced. Schools were open and staff members were coming to schools for online content management. We are all prepared to maintain Covid protocols including distance between chairs, ensuring hand sanitisers at all important points in the school, making masks mandatory for entry in school, said Ajit Singh, convener of Private School Association.
However, parents are apprehensive on letting their children go to schools without vaccination. “I think online teaching is the best option till vaccination drive for children does not start,'' said Pooja Chakradhar, mother of a class 12 going child. Parents are more concerned as neither the school nor the government is ready to take any responsibility. They have made parent’s permission mandatory for entry in schools, she added. Parent organizations said that the government succumbed to demands of private schools. “Now the schools will start charging additional fees besides tuition fee. This is happening when the medical experts have warned of an imminent third wave sometime in late August or September,” said Prabodh Pandya, general secretary of MP Mahapalak Sangh. Government has also started a special vaccination campaign in all schools and colleges from July 26-30 to conduct complete vaccination of all teaching and non-teaching staff members across the state.
