After a long period of time, schools are reopening. Few states Delhi, UP, Bihar, Karnataka, and Rajasthan have reopened schools but the attendance is very low. It is understood that it is an initial stage after a long time and parents still have some apprehensions about sending their kids to school. Both parents and educators have mixed opinions about the reopening of schools.

While the Covid situation has still not diminished, schools have to get the campus prepared for students. Some schools have put sanitizer dispensers at several places, encouraging students to wash their hands and using sanitizer frequently.  

Teachers are also showing extra care in maintaining distance and following covid appropriate behavior.  The past 6 months have been crucial as India had seen a terrible outcome of the second wave of Covid 19, Hence, parents, though accept the need of reopening of school but are not willing to send kids to school wholeheartedly.

What students will gain at school, can’t be gained through online classes, is the question that arises in many teachers’ and parents’ minds, even older students themselves are able to tell the difference.

Students, from senior classes, are able to get involved in online classes diligently, talk or chat in groups with friends but younger children who have not yet fully developed their skills in technology, struggle during online sessions.

While talking about online classes, the government claimed about 85% access to online classes which is far from reality. In the Indian education system where 62% of children attend government-aided or government schools, 85% access to online classes is a delusion.

The rest, 38% come from an elite or higher middle-class background who certainly have access to online classes. In such a situation, the overall development of children is totally unrealistic expectation.

Reopening of school is certainly a welcoming idea where children will resume their daily old routine, will have full opportunity to interact with their peers, will indulge in physical play-running, jumping, etc. The concept of holistic development is possible only in such an environment.

Another issue that comes out with the reopening of schools is the transport. While many parents feel that dropping children will be a safer idea, some may not be able to drop their children at school for various reasons.

Schools have different opinions about starting school bus services for picking and dropping children. Since the cost of diesel/petrol has gone up by Rs 32 from pre-covid times and school transport has to follow all covid protocols that require only 50% occupancy in the school buses.

Other than this, there has been no hike to drivers’ salary which is also a matter of concern. In light of these problems, schools may think about increasing the school fee but how logical and how appropriate it would be, cannot be said.

Leaving aside these matters for a moment, going with the flow is required as no one knows when the entire situation will get better and life will get back to normal. Whatever the number of students is coming, let them have a good time in the classroom and among friends following covid appropriate behavior at the same time.