Partial reopening of schools in Jammu region from tomorrow, attendance to be voluntary
Press Trust of India | September 21, 2020 | 09:38 AM IST
JAMMU: All government-run and private schools across Jammu region will reopen partially for higher classes on Monday after six months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, a senior government official said, assuring that all necessary arrangements are in place for the safety of students.
However, she said the attendance of the students would be voluntary and based on the consent of their parents. “We are partially reopening the schools outside containment zones for the students of 9th to 12th classes from tomorrow (Monday) with terms and conditions in accordance with the guidelines of the government,” Director School Education, Jammu zone, Anuradha Gupta told PTI.
She said only 50 per cent teachers would attend their duties as per the prepared roster, while the students of Classes 9 to 12 can attend their classes only after a written consent from their parents or guardian. “If the parents feel confident over the arrangements which have been put in place keeping in mind the threat of coronavirus infection, they can send their children otherwise there is no compulsion for the students to attend their school,” she said.
Fumigation and Sanitisation
Gupta said the department has worked out arrangements with the school management which have undertaken fumigation and sanitisation and will also ensure availability of adequate number of hand sanitisers, face masks and will follow the guidelines issued by the health department besides ensuring social distancing. The school management would also ensure medical help if needed, she said.
The department is also coordinating with the district administration and “we are hopeful that with caution and care, we will be able to overcome all issues”, she added. “Keeping in view the peculiar circumstances (due to COVID-19), we have introduced online and offline methods of education besides community classes in non-containment zones. The blending of offline and online mechanisms is meant to provide options to the students and safeguard their future,” Gupta said.
Meanwhile, National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana questioned the rationale behind opening of schools for Classes 9 to 12 at a time when panic-stricken people are wondering how to brave the alarming spike in COVID-19. “The administration is rushing to open the schools from tomorrow, though giving options to parents whether to send their wards to attend the classes or not.
This unwise decision can prove to be counter productive," Rana said in a statement. He sought rescinding of the order for the opening of schools till the anvil of vaccine to fight the virus, saying this is all the more important as the health structure has totally collapsed in Jammu. “The medical facilities are inadequate and children, the future of the nation, cannot be exposed to risk. Keeping this in view, the administration must revisit the decision and take appropriate measures to instil confidence among the people,” he said.
The NC leader said the option of submitting indemnity bonds by the parents, intending to send their children to schools, in itself speaks that the government is not very sure on its decision. “In the larger interest of the student community, the decision about the opening of schools should be deferred and rolled back till the situation normalises,” he said.
Also read:
- School Reopening News- Know when schools reopen in India
- School reopening decision after further assessment: Madhya Pradesh CM
Write to us at news@careers360.com
Follow us for the latest education news on colleges and universities, admission, courses, exams, research, education policies, study abroad and more..
To get in touch, write to us at news@careers360.com.
Featured News
]- National Digital University to be ‘world’s largest online university’: UGC Chairman
- Lok Sabha Election 2024: Over 50 students, teachers arrested over past 5 years
- Diversity and inclusion ‘all on paper’, writes a transgender activist on experience at work
- ‘This is terrible’: West Bengal teachers who fought recruitment scam dismayed by cancellation
- More women joining engineering with scholarships, affirmative action in admission, placements
- BTech in Marathi: How PCCOE Pune is showing the way
- ‘We hope to admit students from outside Kerala’: CET Trivandrum principal
- IIIT Bangalore plans to launch BTech programmes, says director
- COMEDK UGET ‘model exam’ for engineering colleges: Executive Secretary
- Top IT companies have cut thousands of jobs in past months, reports on headcounts show