Team Herald
PANJIM: The Directorate of Education (DoE) has given green signal to conduct physical classes for students of Class I to XII from Monday. Although, the students sounded excited to go to school, their parents were of different opinion. Not all were fully in agreement with DoE’s decision of schools reopening.
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With classes starting after a very long time, Ashtvi Naik, Class III student of Government Primary School, Savoi-Verem said that she was missing the morning school prayers which she used to sing as a main singer at the morning assembly session.
“I will get to sing it again in front of my teachers,” replied Ashtvi.
Shrikishna Naik studying in Class VIII at Progress High School, Sanquelim sounded excited too with the news of reopening of schools. He said, “I will get to meet my friends after a very long time.”
Rudra Naik and his sister Sanvi Naik, who are studying at St Rita High School, Colvale-Mapusa, too sounded excited with the news of schools reopening.
Rudra said that he is a student of Class VIII and is eagerly waiting to go to school and meet his friends.
Sanvi, who is studying in Class V is in a hurry to complete her class notebooks. “Our school is starting from February 23. I have to complete all the notebooks. Teacher will ask them for corrections once after the school starts,” said Sanvi.
Further, she informed that the uniform is not made compulsory. “We are allowed to dress up in civil clothes, but teacher has asked us to wear decent clothes and come,” added Sanvi.
Sara Madkaikar, who is studying at A J de Almeida High School, Ponda in Class VI was busy preparing for her mid-term test which she said is ongoing currently in online mode.
“Our school will reopen from March 3. Teacher has informed us via SMS that the school will reopen on 3rd, once after the mid-term exams are over.”
Mandar Naik, a Class X student, studying at KRSS High School, Volvoi said, “Our classes have already started from last week but were conducted for just an hour that was from 10 am to 11 am.”
“Classes of lower classes will start from Monday. We are told that our class timings will be extended by around three hours and the classes will be conducted from 8.15 am to 12 pm,” Mandar added.
Adding he said, “As a precautionary measure to curb the spread of Coronavirus infection girls and boys are made to seat in two separate classes.”
Dejected by the DoE decision most of the parents said, “Although we welcome the decision of the Education Department but are equally afraid to send our children to the school since the notification gives no clarity on the SOPs to be followed.”
Rupa Naik, a parent of Class VIII student said, “The school in which my child is studying has not made a clear mention about how they will distribute the crowd, capacity of students at which the classes will be conducted, whether the schools will keep the check on health of students or not and many other such details. Many such unanswered questions are pulling me back from taking a decision to whether I should send my child to school or not.”
Suraj Naik, a parent of Class V student said that the DoE’s decision to start the schools is not a responsible decision.
“The government has taken the decision without thinking about the ill consequences a child will have to face if pandemic hits back. Many such children are falling in the age group as that of my child has not taken the vaccine since they are not eligible to take a jab. Despite of the fact, the DoE decided to reopen the schools with no clear mention about the strict instructions to be followed while conducting the physical classes,” Suraj said.
Blaming DoE for taking a hasty decision, He said, “Ambiguous decisions taken by the governing body is creating a lot of confusion in the minds of parents.”
