Covid: Preschoolers back in classrooms in Lucknow

Attendance moderate at 50 per cent amid observance of Covid safety norms as preschoolers are welcomed in classrooms in Lucknow

Preschoolers were back in classrooms as the preprimary sections of many schools in Lucknow reopened after a prolonged closure due to the Covid pandemic but the attendance remained moderate at about 50 per cent. In some schools, it was even less.

Preschoolers on a school campus in Lucknow on Monday. (SOURCED IMAGE)

Schools under the umbrella of the Unaided Private School Association Uttar Pradesh (UPSA) and the Preschool Association started classes for preprimary children from Monday, said Anil Agarwal, president of UPSA.

The school campuses came alive resonating with music, floral welcome and vibrant decorations for the nursery to upper kindergarten (UKG) children on Monday. All branches of St Joseph School welcomed the nursery, preparatory and kindergarten students with beautiful displays. The school band performed as the tiny tots entered into the school campuses.

Wearing face masks, the kindergarten students went through the sanitisation tunnel to their brightly decorated classes and corridors. Teachers greeted the children with chocolate treats. Arrangements were made for thermal scanning of all students.

Agarwal said since the schools were already running successfully for classes 1 to 12, the little ones could come safely.

Preschool Association president Tushar Chetwani said that all preschools and playway schools would ensure complete compliance with Covid protocols and standard operating procedures.

However, a number of other educational institutions under Unaided Private School Association Uttar Pradesh (UPSA) chose to keep the preschools shut for different reasons.

Debjani Pakrasi, principal of Pioneer Montessori School (Rajajipuram branch in Lucknow), said, “Though the government has given proper guidelines for the reopening of preschools, still the parents of toddlers seem to be quite apprehensive in sending their little ones to school.”

Pakrasi said, “On average, 60% parents have still not given their consent for sending their children and wish to wait till October before taking any decision. The school management is cooperating with such parents by running both online and offline classes simultaneously.”

There are many educational institutions like City Montessori School, which is part of Unaided Private School Association Uttar Pradesh (UPSA), that reopened the kindergarten section on September 8 itself while the association had given a call to do so from September 13.

CMS founder Jagdish Gandhi said that the safety of students remained the topmost priority and all CMS campuses were strictly following the Covid protocol while running their offline classes.

To maintain physical distancing for students and parents outside the campuses, social distancing circles have been painted for their safety and posters spreading awareness about Covid prevention measures have been put up at prominent locations on every campus. Social distancing is being ensured during seating and classrooms are also being sanitised on a regular basis for the safety of students.