MARGAO
Even as the government has insisted on educational institutions to implement the Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) in the wake of reopening of schools, heads of many an institution have cast doubts whether they will be able to adhere to the same given the restricted infrastructure and logistics in their respective institutions.
Parents have also cast doubts over the government’s sudden decision to reopen the schools from Monday for all the standards when students other than 9th and Xth have not yet been vaccinated. Some of the parents are also believed to have voiced their opinion to the school managements that it will not make much sense to reopen the schools in haste when curtains will soon come down on the academic year in two months.
Schools playing host to a large number of students have found themselves in a tight stop as the detailed circular and SOPs have brought to the fore their limited infrastructure.
A school head told the media that the circular is silent whether all the students should attend their classes together or on alternate days. “The circular isn’t clear on this aspect. In the past, we had put in place arrangements wherein a certain number of students were called on one day and others on the second day. This time the circular is silent and our limited infrastructure may come in the way of implementing the circular and the SOPs,” the head informed. The educational institutions are also in receipt of endless calls from the parents and PTAs, some of whom expressed their reservations when there’s no let up in the number of Covid cases.
“The main fear of the parents is centred on the fact that their wards have not been vaccinated and that they will be exposed to the virus in the schools. Their contention is that schools should not be reopened in haste. The parents were also of the opinion that since the academic year is coming to an end, the reopening of the schools at this juncture will not make much sense. They are indeed scared to send their wards to schools,” sources said.
While the educational institutions have started the work on cleanliness and sanitisation of the school premises ahead of the reopening, both teachers and the parents seem to share the common refrain that the schools should not have been reopened in haste when the students are still not vaccinated.
