After remaining shut for a year and a half due to COVID-19 pandemic, as many as 1,258 government/local body schools reopened for regular classes with just 35% students turning up to attend the classes in Khammam district on Wednesday.
Around 300 private schools recorded a low attendance of 10% in the district, sources in the school education department said.
The main reason attributed to the low turnout is lack of proper transportation arrangements to ferry students to private schools due to non-operation of buses/vans for a prolonged period owing to the pandemic, leaving most of the vehicles in unused condition.
All government residential schools, social welfare and tribal welfare schools with hostel facilities remained closed.
Sources attributed the poor attendance to multiple factors like intermittent spells of rain, continued closure of hostels and initial hesitancy to send their wards to schools apparently over fears of a possible third wave of pandemic.
Collector V.P. Gautham, along with District Educational Officer Yadaiah, conducted a surprise inspection at the government/local body schools at Chirumarri and Lakshmipuram in Mudigonda mandal.
The Collector asked the mandal educational officer to seek explanation from a teacher of the mandal parishad primary school at Lakshmipuram for reportedly proceeding on leave on the first day of school reopening, and submit a report immediately.
In Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, a total of 1,064 government/local body schools and 198 private schools were reopened. The State-run schools recorded 31% attendance and the private schools witnessed a thin attendance of around 22%, sources said.
However, some State-run schools in Agency mandals witnessed good student turnout owing to a vigorous campaign by teachers and mandal-level officials to motivate students to attend classes in schools to bridge the prolonged learning gap.
According to sources, the mandal parishad primary school at Jagya Tanda in Gundala mandal recorded 100% attendance with all 34 enrolled students turning up on Wednesday.
Around 42% of students, mostly Adivasi children, attended classes at the Zilla Parishad High School at Komararam in Yellandu mandal.
Collector D. Anudeep inspected the Zilla Parishad High School in the mandal headquarters town of Sujathanagar, and made an on-the-spot assessment of the resumption of physical classes and mid-day meals in the school. He interacted with the students and encouraged them to focus on their studies with renewed enthusiasm.
