Amritsar letters (8)

Safety guards in place will lower their chances of getting infected

Strap: Although the fear of virus still lurks in the shadows, locals are of the view that enough preventive measures can nullify the threat

Open with strict precautionary measures

Online classes are not a permanent alternative to on-campus classes. The physical presence of teachers is indispensable for students. Moreover, school promotes social interaction, physical and mental activities among children, which is not possible behind closed doors. Schools must open with strict precautionary measures. Monotony has to be broken. Teachers should keep an eye on students to ensure that they follow all safety norms. It’s high time that students start attending physical classes. Schools should open with staggered classes and follow Covid norms. Managements of schools should be accountable for ensuring safety of students. Covid and education have to run parallel till everyone gets vaccinated. Parents should send their children to school as enough time has already been wasted and now only few days are left for the current session to be over. Many have neglected their studies while at home. Online classes were not so fruitful due to poor net connectivity.

Amarjit Singh

Schools can’t be kept closed indefinitely

Almost all schools have reopened for in-person learning whereas a few are still using hybrid mix of offline and online learning methods. Parents should send their children to school but they have many things to consider before doing that. Their reluctance can be understood but schools cannot be kept closed indefinitely. Schools play a significant role in children’s education, achievement, health and well-being. And board exams and session-ending school examinations are to be conducted offline. Even reports emanating from Europe hint that it is possible to send children to school. It is better for parents to send them to school than to let them stay out. However, safety is of paramount importance. They can be safe and secured in school if safety measures are used in letter and spirit to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. To ensure this, health experts, school authorities and teachers are working hard to provide a salutary atmosphere in the school premises. It is opined that children are less likely to catch and spread virus than those of the adults. Experts aver that going to school with safety guards in place helps protect pupils and lowers their chances of catching the virus. Washing hands, cleaning surfaces often, wearing masks, seating children spaced apart, grouping the same students and teachers together throughout the school timings, cleaning and disinfecting the common areas, health screening and monitoring, etc in the schools can embolden the parents to send their wards to school. To further boost their morale, schools should hold classes and other activities outside as much as possible rather than holding them inside a classroom. Floors can have markings to show students where to stand and walk. Besides school authorities are bent upon ensuring strict discipline and social distancing measures and following SOPs. It can act as an icing on the cake if schools would have isolation rooms, medical help and facilities of reporting exposures too. Above all, Covid vaccination drive in the country can instill greater sense of confidence in the parents. Taking into account all of this, parents should shed their inhibitions and send children to school. However, the final decision in this regard rests solely in their own hands. Whether they can be compelled or not to do so remains debatable.

Tarsem S Bumrah

Partial reopening of schools in Covid

“Students of Classes V to XII may be permitted to visit their schools in areas outside containment zones only on a voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers,” stated the guidelines. Assemblies, sports and events which can lead to overcrowding should be strictly prohibited. Students, teachers, employees coming from contaminated zone should not be allowed to come school. The government also said that online or distance learning shall continue to be permitted. Studies have shown that children are less susceptible to severe Covid-19 as compared to adults. It depends on parents that they have to send their ward to school or not. This will be subject to written consent of their parents/guardians. According to it only, 50 per cent of the teaching and non-teaching staff is allowed to come to school.

Akshar Kumar Singla

Keep calm and send them to schools

With the advent of Covid vaccination new cases are on the decline and people heaved a sigh of relief. In such a situation, parents should send their children to schools because there are no apprehensions anymore. We all have witnessed nightmarish time last year. However, things have changed and everyone is all set to restart their schools, colleges etc. There are innumerable students who have already encountered afflictions in studies since schools and colleges were closed owing to Covid-19. Additionally, pupils felt boredom at home in the lockdown because they had nothing to do except online classes. School plays an imperative part in student’s life and helps in harmonious and holistic growth of the pupils. Hence, parents should allow their children to go to schools, regardless of any fear.

Saahil Hans

It should be parents’ call

No doubt that anti-Covid vaccination programme started in our country since 16th of January and fresh cases of infection are also on decline, yet the fear of reemergence is not over. On 23rd 6,00,790 new cases were reported over world where as seven days average was 6,24,369. Moreover, many advance countries in the world like China, United Kingdom, Germany, France etc are reimposing the lockdown due to spread of contagious variant of coronavirus. Keeping in view the fear of spread, winter session of the Parliament was suspended and now budget session is arranged with utmost precautions. But in support of those who favour classroom studies, example of assembly of tens of thousands of farmers at the outskirts of Delhi could be quoted. There is no report of infected case in the said area since last two months after beginning of the agitation. In spite of all this government’s guidelines for wearing a mask, frequent washing of hands and physical distancing are in force. Moreover, in winter, children do often get caught up in the grip of cold and cough which are also symptoms of the virus, hence may give a handle to the rumour mongering. Even in modern times we should not forget the age old saying ‘prevention is better than cure’. Therefore the best course of action in this regard is to leave the decision on the parents to choose between classroom studies or online studies.

Harsh N Johar

It could land with a fatal thud

A catch-22 situation has apparently placed parents in a dilemma as schools are being readied to open and decision has been laid before guardians to take a call on, sending or not sending their wards to school. My personal take is blended schooling, online plus physically interactive, with necessary precautions by school such as distancing, masks-musts, personal sanitisers, food, water, sanitiser tunnels, temperature checking, two shifts, as a workable scenario for older kids. However, when I learn about precautions, with no letup by developed countries despite ruining economies, it makes me wonder about risks concerning our emotional investment and fabulous future human resource. While cases of Covid are seemingly on the decline, the reasons for this are many. Vitally, lack of free-tests by government (many centres closed), people refusing to get tested, kits not provided, disruption of life, fear of losing jobs, the paraphernalia of quarantine, lack of caretakers, high temperatures, etc. The immunity to situation combined with lethargy is the government’s refuge, with an eye on economics. No harm in it, but to open schools just when the vaccination is ongoing, is like jumping into a fast-emptying swimming pool. It could land with a fatal thud!

Rashmi Talwar

Add nutritious items in mid-day meals

Parents should send their children to school only if the Covid-19 rules are followed by both officials and pupils. Children might not follow the protocols because of peer pressure which must be corrected by teachers. Parents should motivate their children to always follow the basic guidelines relating to Covid-19 and encourage them to propagate these among their friend circles. Some more nutritious items can be added to the mid-day meals so that children’s immunity can be enhanced to eliminate the threat of coronavirus.

Jatinderpal Singh Batth

No harm in complying with decision

Due to improved Covid situation, parents must send their children to the schools. It is very difficult for a child to get an education through digital means. Classroom teaching gives a lot of opportunity to learn. The children do not hesitate interacting with their teachers in a classroom. A lot of interaction between pears also improves quality of education since they play, dance together and perform so many activities together. Covid situation will further improve by the introduction of vaccine in the population at large. A heard immunity is bound to come after the vaccination drive. I request the parents that they must send the children for classroom teaching. Classroom teaching is the best means of getting education. However, Covid protocols must be adhered too. The parents as well as the teachers are best educators for making the children aware regarding protocols. Every school must follow the rules and regulations framed by Health Department of the state government regarding preventive measures. AC rooms as well as over congestion areas should be avoided. If children can go to congested bazaars, melas, temples and gurdwaras, what harm is there in sending them for on-campus teaching. Parents should not hesitate.

Dr Karanjit Singh