PANAJI
Many secondary and higher secondary schools have started taking offline classes now in Goa, and there has been no positive case so far among school children. The anticipated third wave has not hit so far, and the economy is opening up gradually with the onset of the tourist season. While there was a fear in the air that children will be most affected in this so-called third wave, parents and teachers are now keen on school reopening, as this fear has subsided now.
The government schools have not got any intimation about school reopening. “I don’t think it will be regarding opening up lower classes. It might start for Std 9 and above,” said a teacher from a government primary school in Port town. Some private and aided schools have declared that they have started their classes from Std 9 to 12 in physical mode but allegedly, it is still on paper and not in reality. The government schools had no option, so they had to start in physical mode, claims an insider.
Sagar Sakordekar, founder of SRS Vedic Mathematics Academy, opines, “Schools should start for Std V and above immediately and after seeing the effect, we should start primary sections too, of course, with the consent of the parents.”
Sakordekar admits that children are getting crazy at home, with no playing out, no fun time or meeting their friends.
“Let school management, teachers and parents take a decision with precautions. The government should allow them to make their own decision. Gradually, we should open the schools. Goa has very negligible positive cases now,” states Vinod Powar, a retired principal from Margao.
Even in a village like Bicholim, while other schools are running 100% offline, the Vidyavardhak Mandal with five schools and around 4,500 students in total, has found out ways to cope up with the SOPs as well as conducting offline classes. The group is planning to open primary school soon after Diwali vacations are over.
“Out of our five schools, in two, the offline classes have begun and in both 95% of the students are attending - Shree Shantadurga High School and Shree Shantadurga Higher Secondary School. We follow strict SOPs and only 50% capacity is allowed to sit in one classroom as per social distancing norms. We decided to start Class IX and X on a daily basis with 50% capacity. Class VII and VIII have started on alternate days and there is 90% attendance. Class V, VI and VII will start after Diwali vacations,” states Vijay Prabhudesai, chairman at Vidyavardhak Mandal.
Explaining how the group managed to cope up with the SOPs, classes and teaching-learning process, Arun Salkar, manager, Shree Shantadurga Higher Secondary School states, “This is an unprecedented crisis and we now know that we have to live with Covid. As we cannot escape the situation, we are trying our best to manage. Our higher secondary school has 1300 students and as to accommodate all at one time is not possible with 50 % strength, we have divided each branch into half “ science four classes are divided into eight, commerce four also into eight and arts two, into four. The periods are cut down from the regular seven to six.”
