Then students started returning to the classrooms by August, which made the schools to try and cover the lost ground, none expected the onset of Omicron variant to undo the progress. The schools are adopting a wait-and-watch policy as the Education department is struggling to come to terms with the reality.
The academic year thus far has been a mixed bag, with the stakeholders such as the principal/school head, teachers and students trying to overcome all the odds to ensure that the academic calendar stayed in the groove. The academic year started off on a sober note notwithstanding the personal loss on the domestic front, as many had to cope with the demise of family members in the second wave.
The hybrid mode of teaching came to stay, with many parents still wary of the mutating virus expressing reservations over sending their wards to the campus. This has thrown up new challenges to the teachers, who are expected to do multi-tasking in the classroom, to reach out to every student and still keep pace with the academic calendar.
While the flow of information is quite smooth from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in the form of website updates, the State Education department is found wanting on sending communiques through a reliable channel. Circulars from multiple sources making rounds even on official platforms often keep the academic fraternity guessing. Lack of preparedness and the absence of timely information was evident on declaring a holiday during the recent flood havoc, which kept the schools and parents on tenterhooks.
The shrunken syllabus is one good thing that came in handy for schools. In view of the pandemic and its impact on the academic calendar, the CBSE and the State board rationalised the curriculum by slashing a portion of the subject. "This has been quite helpful to us in finishing the syllabus on time. Students of the higher classes are quite comfortable because of this," says S. Indira, principal of a school here.
Leftover portion
However, what remains unclear is whether the leftover portion will be taught after the exams so as to equip the students with the knowledge required to enter the higher class, and if yes, who has to teach it, the current class teacher or the one handling the next academic year.
The enthusiasm over the increased footfall evaporated a little with the fear of Omicron spread, which set the clock back to the time when parents were reluctant on physical presence in schools. "Though some parents are worried over its spread, the attendance is much above 85% in our school," says the head of a school K. Anuradha.
"The physical attendance has improved after the State Education Department introduced a mobile app for updating the attendance on a daily basis. The linking of Amma Vodi to minimum attendance also has an impact," observes Prameela Krishnan, the headmistress of a public school.
