Colleges welcome decision to re-start physical classes

Team Herald

PANJIM: Welcoming the decision to re-open educational institutions for physical learning, the colleges have appealed to the government to organise special vaccination camps for non-immunised students and faculty members. Some colleges are considering making vaccination certificate mandatory for students for attending classes, as a precautionary measure. 

While colleges, especially those from interior areas, believe this was need of the hour, some have decided not to enforce attendance on the students for the time being and opted for an online mode of study to continue. 

The Directorate of Higher Education in a circular issued to all government and aided colleges and Goa University on Monday asked them to take necessary decision to conduct classes in physical mode based on ground realities and the infrastructure availability after following proper SOPs pertaining to COVID 19 pandemic.

Speaking to Herald, Principal of Mandrem College of Commerce, Economics and Management Tushar Anvekar said, “It’s a very good decision taken by the government.  In the current situation, where network connectivity is major hindrance in online learning, the resumption of physical classes was much needed. Students themselves were asking us, when college will open”. 

Anvekar said, “Colleges will have to resume without compromising on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) laid down by the government.”

 Admitting that the existing infrastructure would be stressed, he said, “We will have to work out a way”. 

Principal of CSE College Cuncolim Dr Sanjay Desai said students have already missed out a crucial academic year due to poor network connectivity. “Physical classes were need of the hour,” he said. 

Desai has appealed to the government to help colleges organise vaccination camps for those students and faculty members, who are not yet immunised. 

“All the college students are above 18 and must be fully vaccinated by now. If there are some students, teachers or non-teaching staff, then I am ready to conduct camp in my college with the help of government,” he said. 

“Before we resume classes, it is important that students and other staffers are vaccinated,” he said. 

Desai said his college will assess the infrastructure requirement and accordingly decision will be taken on conduct of classes. 

Sushma Naik Gaonkar, a teacher attached to a Margao-based college said, “Our college is considering making vaccination certificate mandatory for students…if not fully…at least one jab…it is very important…Government has already made vaccination certificate mandatory for teaching and non-teaching staff and those without, will have to produce RT-PCR report every week”. 

Students are also very excited to enter college campus. 

“I was missing college campus…the learning experience there…I am happy, finally colleges are reopening. We need to take all precautions,” Janavi Kamat, a second year Commerce student said.