Bhopal: The School Education Department, Madhya Pradesh on Thursday sent a proposal to the chief minister regarding the reopening of schools for 4 days a week for classes I to VIII with full capacity from December 1.
Class from IX to XII are already being held since September 21 in which only the doubt-clearing sessions are taking place.
Talking about the proposal, State School Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said that soon classes will start for IX to XII in both government and non-government schools, for which the state government has done arrangements.
Minister Parmar said that, in schools where there is less space, 50 per cent of children will be taught in one day. On the question of safety of students from the coronavirus, he said that the safety of students is the responsibility of the teacher, for this, according to the rules that are being made by the government, classes will be conducted in schools and the sitting arrangement of the students will be done keeping the social distancing in mind.
Adding that future of students cannot be compromised with, Minister said that completing the syllabus of children before the examinations will be the priority of the Education Department.
Schools do not have adequate arrangements
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If the schools reopen from 8 December after eighth months of lockdown, then many preparations like maintenance, cleanliness of schools will have to be done by the schools. As the schools have remained closed for the last 8 months, they neither have adequate sanitation nor furniture. If classes are arranged according to social distancing, then there is not enough space in the building to accommodate all the children in the schools.
School to make arrangements for masks and sanitizers
Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said that before allowing the students in the classrooms they will have to be sanitized in advance, the school management will make arrangements to provide masks and sanitizers to the students in the schools. Along with this, management will also be responsible for giving education while maintaining social distancing.
Schools will reopen only after the approval of parents
The District Education Officer said that the schools will be reopened only after receiving the approval of the parents. Minister Inder Singh Parmar said that the principals of the schools have been directed to prepare the schools in such a manner that when the students come to school, they are attracted towards it. The school should take special care to ensure that everything from cleanliness to all other arrangements is taken care of by the assigned date for which a budget is also being prepared.
Preparedness in Schools
The principals of the schools say that the schools will be reopened as per the instructions of the department. The schools are ready at their level. Schools will be reopened as per the guidelines of the department. The principal of Subhash Excellent School, Sudhakar Parashar said that he has completed all the arrangements in the school. The sanitizer machine has been installed outside every classroom. Adequate furniture for seating arrangement is provided in each class. However, he says that in such a situation, if the schools are reopened at the moment, then it is not less than a threat. He says that if anything happens to any child, the school and the department will be held responsible for the same. He said that the schools will be reopened only after the approval of the parents.
Some schools do not have adequate arrangements
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Usha Khare, principal of Jahangirabad Higher Secondary School in the capital, said that there is a shortage of furniture in her school, about which she has written a letter to the department. If schools reopen, they will need more than 100 chairs and tables, so that they can make seating arrangements in classrooms with social distancing. She said that if the school gets the instructions of the department, then schools will be reopened according to the guidelines. At present, the schools are ready at their level; there are some shortages, which need to be addressed.
Parents of students studying in private schools not ready
If we talk about the parents of students studying in private schools, then they are not ready to send their children to school, yet. Parents of the private school say that the schools have been reopened since September. However, only children studying in government schools are attending classes. There is not even 10 per cent attendance and online classes are being conducted by private schools. They say that if the schools reopen in the middle of the pandemic, then the lives of children are under perceived threat.
In such a situation, they will not take the risk and send their children to school, they said that the winter session of Parliament is being delayed sighting Coronavirus, where there is so much security, it is clear that the government is afraid of the infection. In such a situation, small children study in schools, who do not know how to take care of their safety and hence the schools should not open until the threat of coronavirus is averted.
Not possible to study online, opening school is a better option
Parents of children studying in government schools say, due to COVID-19, online classes are being conducted for the past eight months, but the children did not study at home at all. Children are not able to study in online class as they do not have enough resources. In such a situation, the reopening of schools is a welcome decision. The government should take care of safety and open schools so that the children do not lag behind in their studies, they say.
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School children complain that they are not able to understand clearly in online classes, especially those children who have board examination this year. Those children want the school to reopen so that they can study properly in school, as they are unable to study at home. If the schools open then the children will be able to sit face to face with their teacher so that they will be able to improve their results.
Preparedness of the Department
The government has completed the preparations for reopening the schools and for this, the government is also taking the opinion of the parents. The parents are giving their opinion on the portal of the school education department for the same. If we talk about government schools, then parents are ready to send their children to school. But the parents of the students studying in private schools have expressed displeasure at the reopening of the schools. They say that until the onslaught of coronavirus subsides, online class is a better option for their children.
However, now it has to be seen whether the government approves the proposal of the School Education Department.
