Thiruvananthapuram: On Monday, about 4.7 million students returned to their classrooms in Kerala, with schools reopening at full capacity for the first time in nearly two years following Covid-19.
In fact, the state's schools last worked at full capacity in the third week of March 2020.
On Monday morning, State Education Minister V.Sivankutty visited a state-run school and said the students were so excited to return to schools.
"Their happiness was palpable and said they do not wish to sit at home again. We have made all the required arrangements for smooth functioning of the schools which includes providing noon meals also," said Sivankutty.
He said around 1.91 lakh teachers and close to 30,000 non-teaching staff would have returned to the school campuses.
"The only difference between schools functioning at full strength almost two years back and today is we can't see our friends' faces fully as all are masked. We now are sad that schools again will close after a few weeks as this academic year is about end," said a group of girls at a school in Kochi.
Students at a lower primary school in Tirur, Malappuram district, were given a real shock when they were turned back because their school's roof tiles had collapsed.
"We are sad as we came with a lot of expectations to continue our studies sitting in the classrooms. Now we are told, it will take a while and we are definitely sad," said the students.
Meanwhile, for the time being students are allowed to take the call to wear uniforms or not and attendance also is not compulsory.
All the students have been advised to get an additional mask, one for the afternoon session and the other one for the afternoon session
