BHOPAL: Schools reopened for regular classes from 6-12 on Wednesday but attendance was dismal as most parents are still in wait-andwatch mode, fearful of the third wave and worried that a vaccine for children is still some time away.
School authorities, who have been pressuring the government to reopen schools, said they expected low turnout on the opening day. Private schools had less than 10% attendance. Most of those who turned up were from classes 9-12. There were hardly any students from classes 6-8. Government schools had better attendance, around 20%. However, several schools -- including missionaries and some private schools affiliated to MP board – stayed shut.
The heartening thing was that Covid SOPs were met. “As of now, there is no complaint against any school,” said Bhopal district education officer Nitin Tripathi. One of the factors behind the low attendance was that school buses are not plying. “If schools have reopened, buses should ply too. How long can we drop and fetch our kids from school?” said a parent
