Send kids to school, but ensure they follow Covid norms

Open House: Should parents send children to school as ut has allowed resumption of classes?

Better wait till April

The pandemic is still around. Human life is precious. It is not easy to take complete precautions against this dreaded disease. We should never put our teachers and the children to risk. It would be better to wait a little more till April to send children to school. Let all teachers also get vaccinated.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Safety more important

The Covid-19 vaccination is in initial stage. Unless everybody is vaccinated how can children and teachers go to school. Coronavirus is a deadly disease. Nobody wants to get infected. Online classes are going on fine. Safety is more important than anything else.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

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Physical presence of teachers vital

Online classes are not a permanent alternative to physical classes in schools. 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 close doors. Schools must open with strict precautionary measures.

Deepak, Chandigarh

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Follow Covid norms in toto

There is no need to close schools indefinitely. Schools must open with a rider that Covid-19 norms will be followed in toto. Further children will feel relaxed at school and get relief from stress.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

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Must follow all guidelines

The vaccination drive has further reduced the chances of spreading virus. But it is important to keep a check and take precautions. Children can go to school. The school administration and parents should follow all Covid guidelines.

Wg Cdr jasbir Minhas (retd), Chandigarh

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Time to break monotony

Parents should send their children to schools. Much time has already been lost at home. Monotony has to be broken. Teachers should keep an eye on students to ensure that they follow all safety norms.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Schools accountable for kids’ safety

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.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Pick and Drop children from school

It is a compulsory to send children to school as they have to prepare for annual exams. Parents as well as school managements should ensure that all children and teachers wear masks and maintain social distance. Travel by school buses should be minimised. Parents can drop and pick children from school.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

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Vaccinate children on a priority basis

We have seen enough of coronavirus. The UT Administration's decision to resume classes in schools for VI to VII standard students is a step right direction. Parents should be encouraged to get their children vaccinated on priority. More than virus, fear and hesitation are holding parents from sending children to school.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Chandigarh

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Patience is the key for the moment

Have all children received two vaccine and have no side-effects? Will they wear masks all the time in class or even during lunch time? Would buses and classrooms be crowded? Do schools have enough resources to sanitise premises? Is it necessary to open schools when we can wait for some time? So, patience is the key for the moment.

Sapanpreet Kaur, Chandigarh

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Enough time has been wasted

Yes, for sure parents should send their children to school as already enough time has 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.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

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Schools cannot be closed for long

Resumption of classes is a welcome step. Schools cannot be closed for a long period keeping in view students’ future. Directions of the Health Department regarding wearing masks and maintaining social distance must be followed.

Gobind Ahuja, Chandigarh

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Don’t send kids to school

Even though the Covid-19 vaccination drive has started, parents must not send their children to schools. Online classes must continue. Students should attend physical classes only when they’ve been properly vaccinated.

Shobhna Kalra, Panchkula

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Call students once a week

Though Covid vaccination drive has started, yet fear of contracting virus still persists among residents. Parents should not send their children to schools and continue with online classes. Another alternative is that schools can call students of each class once a week.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Parents want online classes

Mostly parents want online education for their children. They don’t want their families to get exposed to the virus. The government should help underprivileged students, who don’t have access to internet and mobile phones.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

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Ensure safety at schools

Amidst the Covid outbreak, which lead to the lockdown, schools shifted to online classes. Learning online has its own limitations, but several parents are ready to settle for it. Some parents may favour reopening of schools. Parents confidence will boost if proper hygiene is maintained on the school campus.

Anureet Dhami, Zirakpur

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Leave the decision to parents

Parents are still scared of the pandemic. Although Covid-19 vaccination drive has started, general public and children are not covered in its first phase. Parents are also doubtful about schools adhering to the Covid guidelines. Decision to send their wards to schools in the present situation should be left to parents.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

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Negative impact of school closure

Closure of schools had negative impact on children’s health, education and development. Schools are more than a place for kids to learn. Schools are safe only if the authorities concerned take all measures to prevent the spread of virus.

SC Dhall, Zirakpur

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Initiate vaccination drive at schools

The Chandigarh Administration has handled the Covid-19 pandemic well. Taking this faith to another level, parents should send their children to school. Teachers did their best to impart education through online mode, but a lot of activities were missed. Also, vaccination drive can be initiated at schools.

Priyam Aggarwal, Chandigarh

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Let faith be stronger than fear

Fresh cases of the Covid-19 virus are on the decline. The Chandigarh Administration has taken a good decision regarding resumption of physical Classes I to VIII from February 1. Schools have to follow the Covid-19 protocol. Parents should trust the UT Administration, which is responsible for containing virus. They should send children to schools. Let faith be stronger than fear.

Ramesh Kumar Arora, Chandigarh

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UT can start open air classes

Some parents and teachers are wary of the new strain of novel virus. They opine that resuming classes is not good move. Others say they cannot take chances when it comes to education of their children. School managements must follow Covid SOPs. The Administration can start open air classes as many students don’t have access to internet.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Parents need to be proactive

With the Covid-19 vaccine drive going full steam, it’s time for parents to get into a proactive mode and mull sending their wards to schools. We all know how children suffered academically during the lockdown. Majority of students were reluctant to online learning while others did not have smartphones, tablets, laptops, et al.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

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Kids’ immunity is not strong

Though Covid-19 vaccination drive has started, parents are still afraid to send their children to school as the latter may not follow guidelines. Immunity of children is not strong as compared to adults.

Diksha Sood, Chandigarh

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Educate kids about Covid protocol

It is appropriate time to send children to school. Children would become undisciplined if not sent to school. Parents should educate their wards about wearing mask and maintaining social distance.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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Encourage kids to accept challenge

Online education is a daunting task for pupils. The student-teacher bond is missing. Let parents encourage children to accept the challenge to live with the virus. School managements must ensure compliance of the Covid-19 safety norms. Teachers and other school staff should get vaccinated. The Administration should allow schools to resume all classes.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

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Stick to SOPs, send children to school

Corona scare is not leaving us any time soon. Need of the hour is not to let awareness lose steam. More effective than vaccination, prevention and precaution is the panacea against the deadly virus. Children will have to go to school with new normal of social distancing, wearing face mask and following SOPs.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

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Address parents’ apprehensions

Apprehensions and anxiety of parents regarding resumption of classes need to be addressed by schools. The authorities must hold online meetings with parents and assure them that Covid-19 protocol is being followed at schools. Parents must know that online education cannot compensate for the all round development of their children.

Simran Sidhu, Chandigarh

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No substitute for traditional classes

In the present scenario it would be right for parents to send their children to schools. Introduction of vaccine has raised hope to fight against virus. There is no substitute for traditional classroom, which is necessary for the overall development of children.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

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QUESTION

Door-to-door garbage collection has been hit due to a deadlock between waste collectors and the Municipal Corporation after the civic body introduced the mechanised waste collection system in Chandigarh. What should be done to bring a consensus between the two so that UT residents don’t suffer?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]