Maha schools reopen: Banners, Covid norms welcome students at Matunga municipal school

On Tuesday, the school will do the same drill, but with Class 9 students. In order to prepare for Monday, the municipal school appointed coordinators to oversee preparations and manage schedules of the teachers

On October 4 at 8 am, Pooja Singh, a Class 10 student of LK Waghji Mumbai Public School in Matunga (East) walked into her school 19 months after she last sat in a classroom.

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Pooja and her friends were greeted with colourful banners carrying educative slogans warning students to maintain social distancing and to keep their masks on. Staff members also conducted thermal screening before asking the students to enter in a single file.

Chalk markings and stickers on the floor directed the students to their respective classrooms; markings on the benches instructed them to occupy alternate seats in a zig-zag manner.

“I was a little worried about sending her to school, due to all the news about covid-19 cases. But for how long will students sit at home? I packed a sanitizer and I got her to wear a double mask. She is also old enough to be aware of the care she needs to take. I have another child in class 3. I am glad the government has not started primary school, because a younger child will not be able to take care of itself,” said Pooja’s mother, Sapna Singh (36) a home-maker.

The teenager and her classmates were split up between separate classrooms as seating capacity was halved. Different teachers taught different subjects to the groups of students. Each class was livestreamed simultaneously for the students who didn’t attend school. Through it all, Pooja and her friends sat with their masks on -- there was no lunch break, and four hours later, they were free to go home. On Tuesday, the school will do the same drill, but with Class 9 students. In order to prepare for Monday, the municipal school appointed coordinators to oversee preparations and manage schedules of the teachers. Santosh Gawli, in-charge of classes 9 and 10 at the Matunga school said, “We have received a positive response from students and parents. We closely coordinated with all parents over the weekend and kept them updated about the preparations we were making for Monday morning. We have decided to conduct classes for 9 and 10 on alternate days to avoid crowding.”

“At the end of the school day, only four students were allowed to exit the classrooms and the school at a time, to avoid crowding. I felt really happy to be back,” Pooja said. Shubhangi Kale, a student of class 9 said, “My classes start on Tuesday. All my classmates have been coordinating with each other about the safety measures we need to take once we are back in class. We have been asked to get textbooks only for three subjects: Marathi, Maths, and English, so they will be easy to sanitise once we are back home.” Municipal schools that reopened on Monday saw a mixed response: some schools seeing over 80% attendance while some seeing as low as 10% attendance on Day 1. At Pooja’s school, 22 out of 34 students enrolled in class 8 attended their classes, while 12 out of 33 students enrolled in class 10 attended school. On Tuesday, 29 out of 39 enrolled students have submitted consent letters from parents to attend schools.

Over the next three days the BMC will conduct an online awareness programme for parents and students who have not yet submitted consent letters, or did not attend school on Monday. Parents still have the option of not sending their children to school, a senior civic officer from BMC’s education department said. As per the BMC circular issued last week announcing the reopening of schools for classes 8 to 12, parents’ consent is required for students to attend school, and attendance is not compulsory.