Parents of lower primary students will be consulted before the State government decides to reopen schools for Classes I-V.
Sources in the Department of Public Instruction said that a section of parents, particularly those whose children are enrolled in government and aided schools, are batting for offline classes to resume. However, another section do not want to send their children to schools until they are vaccinated. “Even though we have allowed Classes VI onwards to function offline, many schools are not reopening as they have not received consent from parents to reopen. So we need to hold consultations and arrive at what is needed for both parents and school management,” an official said.
The Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) has decided to hold a consultation for officials of the department on October 18 to chalk out the responsibilities and the SOPs for school managements as well as officials of the department if the lower primary classes are reopened.
Srimathi R., a parent of a Class IV student said, “We want to send our children to school, but we need to ensure that there are adequate classrooms, and that students are taught in batches. The school management is not ready to do this as they will need to shell out more money to make the necessary infrastructural changes. We are not willing to pay an additional fee,” she said.
Mullahalli Suri, member, Parents’ Association, said parents are still apprehensive as the pandemic has not ended. “Schools need to take all precautionary measures. Managements can consider roping in parents as volunteers to ensure that protocol is followed,” he said.
While the department is keen on starting classes after November 1, it needs the approval of the COVID-19 State Technical Advisory Committee.
