Indore (Madhya Pradesh): School for Class 6th to Class 12th student will reopen from September 1, 2021. While most schools are happy with the decision and intend to open the school, the expected attendance on day 1 is low.
Schools affiliated to Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) will commence classes for Class 6th to Class 12th. However, most schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will not commence all the classes immediately.
A few schools might consider reopening for all the middle and senior school students, but most CBSE affiliated schools won’t.
Attendance to remain low
The expected attendance on first day is fairly low. "Most consent forms and signed letters are still awaited from parents, so we know that only a few students will turn up on the first day," Gopal Soni, president of association of MP Board unaided private school owners, said.
He added that about 20 to 25 per cent attendance is expected as consent letters from that many students have already been received.
"However, many parents may be sent consent letters tomorrow, along with children, so we can expect 30 per cent at most," Soni said.
Buses will not ply, parents to pick up and drop their kids
More than 10,000 buses, i.e., almost 40 per cent buses 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 will be required to drop and pick up their children from school premises. The possibility and feasibility of plying buses by schools and bus associations is still to be considered.
School operators are ready to reopen schools, but the problem of transportation is still to be resolved.
About 25,000 school buses operate in the state. They are used to specifically for transport children. Out of these, more than 10,000 buses are not in working condition. Barely 15,000 buses can be plied after basic maintenance and repairs.
Phase-wise opening
Only a small percentage of schools like Emerald Heights International School (EHIS), buses facility will be provided.
"However, we are just starting schools for Class 10 and Class 12, as we have a boarding too," Siddharth Singh, principal of EHIS, said. He added that the school is being opened in phases.
"We cannot risk the safety of students and especially with boarding, so we will not open the school for all the classes immediately, but in phases," Singh said.
Classes with 50% capacity
The number days for conducting offline classes for Class 9th to Class 12th have been extended. In fact, Class 6th to 12th will be conducted on all the days with 50 per cent capacity.
Earlier, the classes for Class 9th to 12th were being held twice a week. The decision on resumption of classes for standard 1 to 5 will be taken on the basis of the situation after a week.
Private school owners had approached minister
Earlier in the week, private school operators had met the education minister. They were assured by the minister that schools will be reopened soon.
The school operators had warned about protesting if the school was not opened for all the children.
In view of all this, now the school education department is working on the planning to open the schools which have been closed for the last two years for all the children.
