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Chandigarh’s govt schools reopen to lukewarm response
Since it was the first day and due to factors like rain and unit tests, attendance remained on the lower side; around 4,000 of the 40,000 students enrolled in Classes 9 to 12 attended school
Suspended since March this year, physical classes at Chandigarh’s government schools resumed for Class 9 onwards on Monday.
Since it was the first day and due to factors like rain and unit tests, attendance remained on the lower side.
School education director Rubinderjit Singh Brar said around 4,000 of the 40,000 students enrolled in Classes 9 to 12 attended school on Monday.
The city has 53 government high schools (up to Class 10) and 43 government model senior secondary schools (up to Class 12).
According to staff of various schools, attendance was higher at schools in the periphery than those within the city. Teachers said since many students reached school on their own, the showers in the morning acted as a deterrent. Further, unit tests are going on for some classes, so their students also didn’t show up.
Pradeep, Aryan and Saurabh, students of Class 9 at Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 10, said they were able to study better in class and they also got their doubts cleared ahead of the maths unit test.
“It was a refreshing experience to interact with students in person, but students who are not vaccinated yet remain at risk,” said a teacher at GMSSS, Sector 18. “There were just four students in Class 12 and one each student in Classes 9 and 10,” she added.
A student, Kanika, said though only four students turned up in her class, she was quite excited to see her friends.
On the other hand, a parent at GMSSS, Sector 10, said he assumed that attendance was mandatory, but as that was not the case, he will wait before sending his child to school again.
Students attending physical classes need to bring a consent letter signed by their parents. Online classes will continue for those who opt out.
