Nagpur: A director at a prominent school located off Katol road has clarified its stand on Nagpur Today’s recent report alleging that few of the schools including their’s have been ignoring the lockdown norms by inviting parents to school to collect books and copies for the next academic sessions for different classes. However the school management has pulled off the books distribution for now, the director has reacted sharply over the development.
In an e-mail shared with Nagpur Today, he stated that parents have been continuously requesting for book-sets due to the online teaching that has been going on since the month of April. “However we did not make them available at that time due to the lockdown, and only did it now since the lockdown has been relaxed to allow essential items. Online learning for the new academic session is starting on June 16 for which books are essential,” he stated clarifying that books are sold by different vendors and not by the school, the school only offers the location for the convenience of the parents and students.
He however added that the notice from the school clearly says that this was optional for everyone. All Covid 19 precautions were taken- social distancing and safety was maintained, sanitisers were used at entry and more than 6 feet distances were maintained amongst people. People were only called in batches to avoid crowding. All the instructions were clearly mentioned in the notice to the parents, he said.
He also wondered that no parent had complained to the school authorities at the time of books pickup. He pointed out that it was obviously people with malafide intentions who have approached the media and education department.
“As soon as we got a call from the education department, the book sale was immediately stopped”, he said
He also steered clear about the incident saying that the lockdown notice says school cannot be opened, which means students and teachers are not there, while in this case there was no one.
Citing a media report in which the State Education Minister had announced clearly that since online learning is the way forward, schools can make books available before it starts, he objected to the hurdle saying, “We don’t understand how when liquor stores are opening with people crowding outside, that is ok , but people are objecting to book sales. Something to think about.”
