Govt rethinks about reopening of schools

NEW DELHI: There is a rethink within the government over unlocking educational institutions following a flurry of representations from parents against reopening schools next month.The government is actively considering the opposition of parents to reopen schools. ET had first reported in its August 7 edition that the government would allow schools to reopen in a phased manner starting with senior secondary classes and then middle school till November 14. However, parents’ associations have expressed the inability to send children to school even if the institutions reopened.There is a rethink over this decision even as standard operating procedures have been worked out by the ministry of health and family welfare. The issue of “learning loss” is of concern across states but feedback from parents and society is to prioritise child health and safety. The group of secretaries attached to the group of ministers on Covid management, has once again discussed the issue threadbare.Apart from the parents’ opposition, the government’s rethink has been triggered by reports of school-going children in the United States getting infected by coronavirus within the first two weeks of going back to school.According to sources, the ministry of health and family welfare has pointed out that this could be a major risk and the decision should be postponed. A senior official involved in the discussions told ET, “The reasoning is also that offices have not opened up. So why should we open up schools first. Why should the children be put at risk?”The government’s decision on reopening school was also buoyed by the general impression of inaccessibility of online medium to children from economically weaker sections.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/34n9gXE
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