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Parents wary as schools and colleges close amid coronavirus woes
At least a dozen states have ordered school closures till the month-end, in line with worldwide efforts at social distancing. Still, what happens next is a question on many lips as no global agency says the pandemic will blow over soon.
Sumali Moitra, a Gurugram resident, is worried about the government order closing schools till 31 March to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. Moitra, whose son has just entered Class 10, says the school advisory is mum on the crucial secondary school year.
“We are confused,” says Moitra. “While safety is fine, what about the loss of learning?”
“The school is still sending home work, but there is no provision for virtual classes. Educational institutions need to minimize disruption by using technology,” he added.
At least a dozen states have ordered school closures till the month-end, in line with worldwide efforts at social distancing. Still, what happens next is a question on many lips as no global agency says the pandemic will blow over soon.
“It’s a pandemic and after two weeks, you never know the situation in a country like India. Yes, there’s confusion, yes no one knows what will be the situation in April, but we have to go by official advisories believing that health professionals must have assessed the situation better than academicians now,” says a teacher at a private school in Delhi. “Even our school management does not have a road map as of now.”
Public health experts say there is little choice for now as social distancing has proved to be the most effective tool in China, which was the epicentre of the outbreak.
“The government is trying to take the best measures in the interest of the public,” says Jugal Kishore, director, professor and head of community medicine at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital. An infected person may show symptoms between two days and two weeks, and therefore, social distancing will not only help prevent the spread of the coronavirus but will also provide “a clear idea about the health of those who are quarantined in various centres”.
While the first cases in a billion-plus nation emerged five-six weeks ago, with three people testing positive in Kerala, the majority of infections—which now stands at a little more than 100—have emerged only in the past two weeks, forcing the government to take drastic measures such as closure of schools, colleges, malls and cinema theatres.
Thankfully, there is no community transmission yet and those who have been infected are those who have been in contact with people who have travel histories.
Officials hope the country’s blazing summer that typically sets in after March will help contain the virus, which may find it difficult to survive the high temperature, although this is not scientifically proven.
“Covid-19 is a new virus and we know little about it. Still, watching it scientifically isn’t a bad idea,” said Kishore. However, the reality is that not much is known about the coronavirus and even in tropical countries such as the Philippines it has spread swiftly.
“Covid-19 virus is now spreading from person to person through respiratory secretions via mucous membrane within a distance of one metre. The bigger question is how to ensure social distancing like that. In an epidemic situation, one needs to follow protocols,” said Dr K. Madan Gopal, senior consultant (health) at NITI Aayog.
Some educational institutions said there was no point complaining about the shutdowns as prevention is the priority now.
Three schools in the national capital region shut down their premises when the parent of a child had tested positive for the coronavirus infection.
“Much before the Delhi government announced a closure, we had planned our coursework three weeks in advance and advanced our exams and sped up some classes. By 13 March, our internal exams are over and from April, our graduating students will go to their place of work following final placements, and first-year students have summer training in companies,” said J.K. Das, director at Fore School of Management, a private business school in New Delhi.
“The executive education students have been advised to maintain social distance and if the need arises, we shall offer virtual classes to them instead of calling to campuses,” he said.
Since colleges and schools close for summer break, the closures that have happened now could be compensated for later during the vacation period, depending on how the situation plays out, said another institution.
“We are aware about the learning loss of our students. If the situation prolongs, we shall organize extra classes in summers and may use technology to offer virtual learning facilities,” said Prashant Bhalla, owner of Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, which runs a chain of institutes in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
