Why not wait till Oct-end, review situation & open schools

In view of covid-19, should schools open for senior students or all classes?

Formulate policy for online education

Schools reopened for Classes IX to XII, but students response is poor as the attendance remains thin. Most schools are not equipped to impart online education. Full opening of schools doesn’t seem practical keeping in view the rising number of Covid cases. So, the Centre and state governments must formulate a policy for online education with provision to ensure availability of all requisite infrastructure required by schools, teachers and students. The government should provide funds for this purpose.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Opening of schools not recommended

Schools for any classes should open up at this juncture when Covid is spreading like anything in the City Beautiful. The government should not be in a haste to open schools as the attendance is negligible. Private schools are not opening due to this reason. Learn from them.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

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Open schools for senior students

Human life is precious, but so is education. Certainly, importance of life overcomes that of education. So, the government should open schools only for Classes IX to XII. Due care must be taken while admitting students to classes. Students must undergo thermal checking, wear masks and use sanitisers regularly. Doing yoga along with administering vitamin A, D and zinc etc in schools to increase students’ immunity will do no harm.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Parents skeptical about admn move

Many parents are skeptical about sending their children to schools even as coronavirus cases continue to surge in the country. Meanwhile, the authorities have another point that education in government schools is suffering. Countries like Israel reopened schools in May, but ultimately closed them as many teachers and students contracted Covid-19. Keeping in view the spike in virus cases, the decision to open schools must be deferred at least till October end.

Gopal Mittal, Chandigarh

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Families of students, faculty at risk

Schools should not open. Kids go to schools far away from their homes. Travelling to and from residences and schools can spread virus among students. Besides, grandparents and young siblings at home can contract virus. Most people can’t maintain physical distance as they don’t have big houses. So, it’s not advisable to put students’ lives at risk for education.

Sargam, Chandigarh

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Senior students need attention

Amid corona, only senior students should be called to schools as they need more attention. As a matter of choice of career and admission to good colleges, they need to understand and clear educational concepts in a better way. Students’ upto Class VIII can be taught virtually by making the curriculum practical, innovative and interesting as danger of coronavirus still persists.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Don’t override students’ safety

Despite school managements haste to open schools for Class IX to XI to justify their fee demand, cautious parents thought otherwise and did not consider the prevailing pandemic conducive to send their wards to schools. For them online classes is the only option. Schools should wait for starting junior classes. It is not possible to stop small kids from mingling with each other in and outside classes. Commercial angle must not be the deciding factor in opening schools. It should not override students’ safety.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Written consent of parents required

As per the guidelines students of Classes IX to XII may be permitted to attend schools in areas outside containment zones on a voluntary basis. Assemblies, sport and events, which can lead to overcrowding, should be prohibited in schools, which open. Studies have shown that children are less susceptible to severe Covid-19 as compared to adults. It depends on parents whether they want to send their wards to schools or not. This will be subject to written consent of parents/guardians.

Akshar Kumar Singla, Chandigarh

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A welcome change for senior students

The children are stuck in their homes since the last six months or so. They are getting dull. Allowing them to attend their classes will not only be a welcome change for them, but also beneficial from the academic point of view. Only students from Classes IX to XII should be allowed to attend schools. We and our children have to learn to live with this pandemic.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

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Prolonged Lockdown not right approach

Why we think that schools are the only places from where virus can spread? At the end, we have to make our people aware how to adjust the new normal. Parents and school authorities have to understand that lockdown is not the right approach for longer period. How to keep away from infection is the main aim for all of us. This style of living can be learnt only through practice. Schools are best places to inculcate this among our coming generations.

PK Patpatia, Ambala

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Make parents feel confident about safety

Apparently, one of the reasons for thin attendance after reopening of schools is that parents are not confident enough about safety of their wards from the Covid-19 pandemic. To overcome this problem, managements of schools should keep in touch with parents. They should be informed about safety measures taken by schools. Steps taken by schools in accordance with the UT Administration guidelines should be visible on ground.

Hardeep Singh Slaich, Mohali

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Schools must open for all

Education is one of the major requisites of employment in the market. If students don’t have good education, country will not develop. Therefore, the government should make honest efforts to provide quality education to students even during the pandemic. For this, schools will have to function for all with proper safety measures in place.

Priyam Aggarwal, Chandigarh

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Online studies convenient mode

Schools in the UT reopened partially on September 21. However, due to rising number of Covid-19 cases, limited number of students showed up. Parents may not be sure regarding safety arrangements in schools and whether their kids will be able to take all required precautions or not. Further, students may find it convenient to continue online mode of studies till the pandemic subsides.

Dr Gulshan Goyal, Panchkula

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Open courts, not schools

Why is our government and the Education Department in hurry to open schools? If our government is so worried about country’s future, it should open High Courts and Supreme Court and not schools. After all, future of our country depends on judgments of these courts. How can we permit these courts to keep their shutters down for so long?

Gurpreet S Malhotra, Chandigarh

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Not a laudable move

Covid cases are increasing rapidly in the tricity. Reopening of schools for senior classes is not a laudable move as online programmes are going on for students. Though parents agreed to send their wards to schools, only four per cent attended classes. There is old dictum health is wealth. Once this pandemic is over life will return to normalcy.

Tarunjot Kaur, Greater Mohali

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Better to wait for a few more months

Schools opened in Chandigarh for senior students. The time is not ripe for junior students to attend classes during the pandemic. Children below 10 years have weak immunity and can fall prey to virus. Besides, they will not understand and follow the Covid guidelines. Better wait for a few months to open schools for junior students till Covid subsides. Safety of young ones is foremost.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

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Follow all Covid SOPs

Students can no longer be deprived of studies to avoid the Covid-19 pandemic. Online teaching is no substitute for classrooms. The virus is not leaving us anytime soon. It’s time students take precautionary measures as new normal. Nonetheless, schooling hours should vary for primary, middle and high classes while attendance should be at parents’ discretion. Schools need to supply face masks and sanitisers free on demand, make spot thermal screening compulsory and arrange testing for Covid when required. Details of Covid SOPs should be circulated widely and implemented in toto while allowing school activities.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

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Wait till vaccine is available

The opening of schools for students of Class XI to XII during peak of coronavirus infection cannot be justified. The government and the Administration must wait till the availability of vaccine. The winter season may increase spread of virus. It would be better to continue online classes. Doubts of students can be cleared on phone. Immaturity and enthusiasm among students can spike infection.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Minhas (retd), Mohali

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Admn should not risk students’ life

Students do not understand harms of coronavirus. They would play with their friends when schools reopen. Children are future of the nation. It’s duty of the government to save their lives. The Chandigarh Administration should know that it’s wrong to reopen schools. Students cannot follow Covid guidelines like wearing face masks and maintain social distance etc. The Administration should continue online teaching. Syllabus of all classes should be reduced.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

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Parents concerned about kids’ safety

Opening of schools for students of Classes IX to XII did not yield good response due the Covid-19 scare. This clearly indicates that starting classes for junior students may also not bring desirable results. Moreover, parents of junior classes’ students may not have enough courage to send their wards to schools. They would be more concerned about safety of their children than their studies. As such, it may not be advisable to open schools for junior students for the time being.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

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Distribute pen drives with course material

Keeping in mind the rising coronavirus cases in the UT, parents find it difficult to send their kids to schools. Obviously, students are our biggest treasure and future of the country. Safety of students and teachers is of utmost importance. In order to save students from academic loss, schools must continue online classes through computers, TVs and radio. Pen drives with course material can be distributed among students.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

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Better to take online classes, exams

Schools are opening for students of some classes, but this move is not favourable. May be some students have good immunity, but others, who contract virus infection, may not able to recover from it. So, the Administration’s decision is to open schools is not good. Online classes and exam are better option. The UT Administration should not force students to venture out of their homes during the pandemic.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

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Don’t hurry to open schools

The latest guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs suggest that the attendance in schools should be on involuntary basis and that too after the consent of guardians or parents. Coronavirus pandemic is scary. Children below 10 years are most vulnerable. Students are innocent and don’t know gravity of the pandemic. If a student gets infected with virus he/she can spread infection among his/her classmates. So, the UT Administration should not be in a hurry to open schools.

Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Let students accept the challenge

Many students face problems during online classes as the Internet connectivity is not reliable. Schoolchildren are more disciplined and follow rules strictly. They are future of the country. Let them accept the challenge and live with the virus by taking precautions. The UT Administration should allow schools to reopen for all classes while following SOPs strictly.

Col Balbir Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

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Involve stakeholders while taking decision

With the sudden surge of Covid-19 cases principals, teachers and parents want the authorities to review the decision of reopening schools. Some teachers say it is not possible to teach while wearing face mask. Others are of the view that working hours should be fixed. The authorities should review and take action after consulting the people concerned.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Chandigarh

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Open schools in a phased manner

The decision to open schools partially is correct. Schools must strictly enforce norms of social distancing and wearing masks. After opening for senior classes, students of junior classes too should be called to schools. The number of students in each class can be decided as per the norms set by the authorities concerned and ease of teaching. Students should not lose year. But, we cannot play with young lives. This notion should be kept in mind before taking any decision.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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Risky to send kids to schools

Due to rise in Covid cases, schools should be remain functional only for senior students because little ones are not mature and will not follow social distancing and other guidelines. It would be risky to send them to schools. Besides, kids don’t have strong immunity and can easily contract virus. Online teaching is beneficial for young ones, as they don’t have much syllabus. Also, they are safe at home.

Nakhpreet Kaur, Sanghol

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Wait till festival season gets over

In the given scenario, where the pandemic is reaching new heights with each passing day opening of schools is an exercise in futility. It will serve no purpose as the attendance will remain low and increase mental agony. Online teaching should continue till the festival season gets over. The government needs to reconsider its decision of opening schools.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Zirakpur

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Time to send kids to schools

Studies from across the world have already shown that the rate of transmission from kids in classrooms is very low. It’s high time to regain the eroding trust among parents to send their wards to schools while following Covid guidelines. As children have already spent six months out of school, many of them will lag in academics. Their well-being and social skills will also be affected if kept out of classrooms.

Dr Manjinder Kaur, Manali

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QUESTION

A downward trend in Covid cases has been witnessed during the past two weeks in Chandigarh. The average testing has also gone down to 800 per day from 1,200. Experts say residents are no more keen on going to health centres for testing for various reasons, including social stigma. In view of this, should there be a large-scale sero survey in the UT to measure the exposure to Covid-19 in the community and frame proper policies to handle the pandemic?

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