Chandigarh private schools to open only if 50% parents willing

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 15

After the UT Administration allowed opening of schools for offline classes for students of Class IX to XII from July 19, the Independent Schools Association (ISA) – a group of private schools – is in a state of confusion.

The ISA has decided that the schools would be open only if more than 50 per cent of parents were willing to send their wards for offline classes. Otherwise, the students would continue to be taught through the current online education mode.

“We (the schools) were not consulted by the higher authorities before taking the decision. The circular calls for conducting both offline and online classes, which is not feasible. We will assess the situation for the first few days and thereafter take a final call,” ISA president HS Mamik.

“If more than 50 per cent of parents agree to send their wards to schools then all have to attend or else we will continue teaching through online mode. We are in a very dicey situation. The authorities should have either opened the schools or continued with online classes,” said Mamik.

Meanwhile, Amita Khorana, Principal, Shishu Niketan Public School, Sector 22, welcomed the UT’s decision on opening of schools.

“It is a timely and appropriate decision on part of the Administration,” she said. “We welcome the decision and are gearing up for the opening of the school. We are sanitising the school building and following other Covid-19 protocols.”

“Rest depends upon the parents’ readiness to send their wards to schools. However, if the number of approvals is less, then it will not be feasible to hold offline classes. It’s not possible to do justice to teaching with both offline and online classes,” Khorana added.

“Going by the earlier experience, parents are unlikely to send the wards to school as they are now comfortable with the online classes. If parents are willing, we are all set to open. But if they don’t, then we will start the school in offline mode during September, when the students will have their first term exams,” said S Sardana, director, Manav Mangal School.

“The students will come to school for three hours only and there will be no break. Once the students and parents develop the required confidence through this arrangement, we shall be opening to full strength,” Sardana added.

Not only school management, but parents are also not sure about sending their wards to schools.

“There are reports of a possible third wave and in such a scenario it’s difficult to send kids to school. Children are yet to be vaccinated and they cannot be kept under restrictions once they are in their friend circle. I have yet to decide on this,” said Ishita Arora, one of the parents.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh School Bus Operators Association will also wait for parents’ consent before resuming operations. “We can run our services only if a good number of students come to school. Also, we will need some financial assistance from schools to resume operations,” said Manjeet Singh, president of the association.

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