MAPUSA: Voicing their opposition to the reopening of schools, Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) from Mapusa and Bardez on Wednesday requested the State government to continue online classes till year-end.
The associations urged the government to review the COVID situation in January next year and then take a decision on reopening of schools. Stating that 85 per cent parents are against reopening of schools, Mahesh Swar, Chairman of PTA of DMC College said, “A survey was conducted on Google with regards to reopening of schools. In this survey over 1000 parents had participated and 85 per cent of them were against reopening of schools. This is a sensitive issue and we do not want any politics because health of our children is more important”.
“In case of physical schooling there are several points that need to be looked into. First is transport. It is not possible for every parent to drop and pick their children. Further the masks which we cannot wear continuously for two hours, how students will be able to wear them for hours”, Swar asked.
“Also schools have common toilets and there are chances of spreading the infection. Also the sanitisers that we use, the effect of the same is not visible now but after two or three years, the effect will be seen. At present nobody can assure that there won’t be any effect of constant use of sanitisers especially by children”, Swar added.
“Government has enough time to prepare for the next academic year. It can install fibre optic cables in each school to hold online lectures. The government should install mobile towers in every village to solve the network issue. It can provide tabs to students at 50 per cent cost as this will be affordable for poor and can approach the companies which can provide tabs “, Swar suggested.
Umesh Kolvalkar, vice chairman of DMC College PTA said, “We request the government to continue with online classes till this academic year ends. It should provide free WiFi in every village and can divert funds of projects, which are not important in the current situation. I appeal to the parents not to take risk by sending their children to school”.
The association also raised concerns about the students whose families are under home isolation.
“A number of families are under home isolation. If physical classes start, how will these students be able to attend the classes,” the association asked.
