The teaching and non-teaching staff of Jawarhar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Udupi, have regularly been interacting with 20 Class 9 students under exchange from JNV Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, who are stranded in Udupi because of the lockdown since March 22.
Apart from allowing them to have frequent videocalls with parents, the students are engaged in sports and other activities. Udupi JNV Principal T. Palanivelu said, “The students were very happy for the first 15 days of lockdown. But since last week, more so from the extension of lockdown, they have been breaking down. They are missing their parents and more anxious to go home. We are trying our best to keep their morale high.”
However, 20 of Udupi JNV students, who were at Khandwa, could return home before the lockdown, he added.
As many as 22 students from JNV Mudipu are stuck in JNV Amroha in Uttar Pradesh. “I am in regular touch with our counterparts in Amroha, who are taking good care of them. Parents and children are getting more anxious to be at home,” said JNV Mudipu Prinicipal V. Srinivasan. Students from Amroha have reached their homes safely.
As part of a cultural exchange programme, Class 9 students from JNVs in the State were sent to JNVs in North India and vice versa. While some schools have managed to send outstation students to their native places, others could not because of the lockdown.
Though 21 students of JNV, Bengaluru Rural, are being taken care of at JNV Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, parents are getting worried because of the reports of COVID-19 spread in Madhya Pradesh.
“There is no issue of about their safety. The only worry is their mental well-being. There is lot of pressure from parents to get their children back,” said Principal R. Chakravarthy, who has involved the 21 students in online classes that is conducted for other students.
While 21 students from JNV Kodagu have returned from JNV Indore, the latter’s 24 students have remained in Kodagu, said JNV Kodagu Principal P.M. Isaac. Haveri JNV’s 23 students are held up at JNV Mahasamund in Chattisgarh and vice-versa.
Similarly 21 students of JNV Shivamogga are stuck in JNV Raipur, while 24 students of Raipur are with the former.
Parents of 24 students from JNV Narasingpur in Madhya Pradesh, who are stranded in JNV Chikkmagaluru, are regularly calling their children and asking them to stay safe in Chickamagaluru as the condition at their places is not good, said JNV Chikkamagaluru Principal Benny Joseph.
All the principals said the issue has been taken up by the JNV administration and a solution was being worked out.
