After spending days at home amid uncertainty, students return to schools in Amritsar
After days of uncertainty, all government and private schools reopened in Amritsar. Students attended their classes as usual. The changed timings of the schools, from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, meant students had late morning rush, with parents dropping them off amid traffic congestion.
The buzz returned to schools after recent declaration of the CBSE Class X and XII results. Impending term exams in most schools preoccupied students mind. The teacher bodies were calling for opening of schools amid the ceasefire and consequent peace reached between India and Pakistan. While schools and colleges in other districts opened on May 12 onwards, in border districts of Punjab including Amritsar, educational institutions bore the impact of the tense situation that arose between India and Pakistan after May 7.
“It is a positive news that schools have reopened as education of students is suffering due to an atmosphere of fear and panic, despite announcement of ceasefire. Such developments have a negative impact on child’s mind,” said Ashwani Awasthi, a government schoolteacher and district head of the Democratic Teachers Front.
Parents said normal timings of schools should be resumed. “The new timings are such that day temperature soars by the time children reach school. Students return home during peak afternoon hours which is physically exhausting for them. An early morning start gives students some respite from harsh sun,” said Rashleen Kaur, a mother of two schoolchildren.
Also, several parents pick and drop their wards from schools, which clashed with their office timings. “The school time of children clashes with our office timing. It’s going to be difficult for parents, who do not avail school transport service for their wards. We will be forced to spend more to send our children to school via other means of transport,” said Harsh Sharma, a private employee.
All schools complied with orders for opening from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, but Government Elementary School, Islamabad, Amritsar, opened at 9 am, forcing parents to drop their children ahead of the given time. One parent said, "We tried to raise our concern with the school management, but they said school will begin at 9 am. We were given no reason for it." Several students, who were not aware of the opening time at 9 am, reached the school at 10.30 am, only to be told that they were late. The school management shut doors of the school after 9 am. One of the teachers at the school, on the condition of anonymity, said the school was conducting special classes for students of Class III to V.
Fresh orders issued by Amritsar District Magistrate Sakshi Sawhney state: “Keeping in mind the current situation, all government/private-aided schools coming within the limits of Amritsar will open as usual from May 15 onwards. These orders will come into effect immediately. The District Education Officer Secondary/Elementary, Amritsar, will ensure compliance with these orders.”
