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Chandigarh to mull allowing students to stay indoors during recess
Parents of school-going children argued that the tree collapse incident at the Carmel Convent could have been avoided had the students been allowed to stay inside
In the wake of the tree collapse incident at the Carmel Convent School in Sector 9, which claimed the life of a Class 10 student, parents of school-going children have highlighted the schools forcing students outside of the main buildings during recess.
Parents argued that the incident could have been avoided had the students been allowed to stay inside. The UT education department is now also considering passing directions on the same.
Chandigarh Parents Association president Nitin Goyal said, “Parents have been saying that schools should allow children to stay in the building if they want. Not only could the incident have been abated, some children don’t want to go out during the break now after hearing about this incident.”
While some parents conceded that children also need time outdoors to relax during the recess, Goyal said their argument was that the schools should not force its students to leave the buildings, especially during bad weather.
Speaking about the issue, UT director school education Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar said, “We have also received these complaints from parents and although no directions have been issued to schools yet regarding this, we are looking into whether kids can be allowed to stay in the school building.”
‘Going out important for children’
Pinning the blame of the accident on the “neglect” of the UT administration, Independent Schools Association president HS Mamik said, “The neglect should not mean that school rules are changed and children suffer. Children can’t stay in class for 7-8 hours at a stretch. It is important for them to go out during recess. It also helps with their social development.”
Adarsh Kohli, professor of clinical psychology at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), meanwhile, said, “While precaution can be taken around trees and other such dangerous things, given the availability of big-enough playgrounds, schools should continue having recess outside.”
“After staying in during Covid, children also need to socialise. It is good to have a change of surroundings and it is important for the younger kids to play and get some exercise during recess,” she added.
