Attendance in government schools dips further after teachers test positive

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 8

After teachers tested positive for the coronavirus, students’ attendance has dipped further in government schools. In fact, the attendance sunk to just 10% from 30% when schools reopened on October 19. The fear of coronavirus prompted some principals to close their schools for the entire week.

The Government Senior Secondary Schools in Todarpur and Laut remained shut during last week after some of their staff members tested Covid positive.

Sources in the Education Department said schools in the rural areas were the most hit. In some schools, not even a single student had turned up after these were reopened.

The district education officer (DEO), Harinder Kaur, said the decision to open schools rested with the Principal if the staff members test positive for the virus. “It is up to the Principal to take a decision on whether to open school or not,” she added.

“Students are not coming to school due to fear of coronavirus. The attendance is between 10 to 15%. It has declined severely in the last few days,” she said.

Meanwhile, schoolteachers attributed the low turnout at schools to the mandatory decision of not marking attendance. Teacher unions said online education was not a successful method for government schools.

The Democratic Teachers Front (DMF) member, Vikram Dev, said, “Online education is not effective as it has little or no penetration. Students do not remember what we taught them online. Still we are not making compulsory for them to attend school. This is a big loss for them.”