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Nagpur: After a gap of months due to novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, as many as 92 schools in rural areas of Nagpur district re-opened on Thursday for Std VIII to Std XII. These schools are in villages, where no COVID-19 patient was found in the past one month.
According to the Education Department, there are 754 schools in the district that have classes for Std VIII to Std XII.
It is pertinent to mention that, as per the government norms, schools in villages with no Covid-19 case for the past one month, are allowed to re-open. For the reopening, consent of respective Gram Panchayats is necessary. So far, the Education Department has received a nod from 69 Gram Panchayats. However, reluctance prevails among parents regarding sending their wards to schools. For, many are afraid that their wards may contract COVID-19 infection. As a result, the response to school re-opening was a mixed one.
For instance, in Kuhi tehsil, no Gram Panchayat gave consent to re-opening school. Still, six schools re-opened. Whereas, in Saoner tehsil, of total 56 schools, not a single one re-opened. As far as six schools in Kuhi tehsil re-opening without consent of the Gram Panchayats concerned are concerned, it was stated that the local administration and parents might have agreed upon reopening. Though the schools reopened on Thursday, the data regarding attendance of students could not be ascertained. Meanwhile, the Education Department of Zilla Parishad is in the process of obtaining consent of other Gram Panchayats for re-opening of schools.
Though, the Education Department is hopeful of re-opening over 600 schools with classes from Std VIII to Std XII in coming days.
