Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Schools for Classes 6 to 8 students reopened on Wednesday after a 16-month shutdown. Many MP Board-affiliated schools were open, whereas a few CBSE schools functioned, although the schools reported low attendance on Day 1.
Schools affiliated to the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) held classes for Classes 6 to 12, Classes 9 to 12 were already running. However, most schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) did not hold all the classes immediately.
Attendance remains low
Attendance on the first day of the schools’ reopening remained very low as expected. Students of MP Board schools turned up for their classes, whereas students of CBSE-affiliated schools seemed fewer. However, it is expected that, with time, the strength in classes will increase in direct proportion.
Covid-19 safety protocols priority
The Covid-19 protocols were mandatorily followed at all the schools. The school staff enforced social distancing sanitisation after touching surfaces on the children
The students, themselves, too, seemed concerned about Covid and did not come close to each other even though they were meeting after one and a half years
The students in the classrooms were made to sit singly on the benches one behind the other
They were not allowed to take off their masks or to share any items between them without sanitizing them
The students were thermally scanned at the entrance corridors of the schools and their hands were sanitised to ensure the safety of the children
Parents on duty as buses remain idle
More than 10,000 buses, that is almost 40 per cent, need extensive repairs and maintenance as they have been stationary for almost two years now. In such a condition, schools cannot ply the buses. Parents dropped and picked up their children from the school premises. The possibility and feasibility of plying buses by schools and bus associations is still to be considered.
About 25,000 school buses operate in the state. They are used specifically for transporting children. Out of these, more than 10,000 buses are not in working condition. Barely 15,000 buses can ply after the basic maintenance and repairs.
Security maintained
As the parents were to pick and drop the children, the schools authorities ensured that no security glitch should occur in the picking up of the students for which the school staff checked properly the identity of the person the student was returning with
Classes with 50% capacity
Class 6 to 12 will be conducted on all the days with 50 per cent capacity. The decision on resumption of classes for Standards 1 to 5 will be taken depending on the situation after a week
