Parents worried about safety of kids
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Mar 15: After remaining closed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools today reopened for the primary classes across Kashmir with strict adherence to SOPs issued by the Government for the staggered re-opening of educational institutions.
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Early in the morning, the jubilant kids were seen reaching their respective Government as well as private schools across Kashmir, while as the management of schools had put in place all the necessary arrangements already.
Parents were seen accompanying kids to their schools and were seen wearing masks as well as maintaining social distancing. At the entrances of all the schools, the body temperature of the kids was checked and their hands were sanitized.
At several Government schools, the kids were made to assemble in the ground and were allowed to enter the classrooms only after their hands were sanitized and the temperature was checked.
The children, after they reached their schools, were briefed by their teachers regarding the preventive measures they have to adhere to while they are in school.
The students were taught how to sanitize their hands after every hour and were also briefed on how to cough in the classroom. In the classrooms, the children were made to sit at distance from each other to maintain the required distance.
As a part of the staggered re-opening of the schools, various schools are following odd, even format while others have adopted a shift system to ensure that only 50 per cent of students remain in attendance.
On the other side, the children were happy and jubilant to meet their friends and teachers all over again after a long time. “It feels good, and I am so happy to be back to the school after a long time,” said Muhammad Umar, a Class 2nd student.
Earlier, as a part of reopening of educational institutions in a staggered manner, on March 8, the schools were reopened for the students from class 6th to 8th and the classes for the students of primary were set to be reopened on March 15. Before that, the classes for students of 9th to 12th were also reopened across Kashmir.
However, the entire staff of the schools in Kashmir was attending their respective schools from March 1 and were giving final shape to the arrangements and other procedures for the reopening of classes for the students.
Adeeba, another student of Class 3rd said that they have been made aware by the teachers about the preventive measures and that it feels good to be back to school after almost a year.
“I am happy to be back and I am eager to meet my friends after one long year. There is no substitute for the offline classes where you have a teacher in front of you; the online classes were hectic,” she said.
While parents were also happy about the reopening of the schools, they, however, expressed their worry about the safety of their children as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“We are happy, but in the end, these are just children and they do need guidance to remain cautious and take preventive measures amid COVID-19-that remains the worry, rest we are happy that they are back to schools,” said Abdul Hameed, a parent accompanying her daughter to her school in Srinagar.
Teachers on the other side also said that the reopening of the schools for primary classes is going to be a challenge for them. However, they maintained that they have all the necessary arrangements in place.
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