MUMBAI: Attendance for class 8-12 in many schools in Mumbai ranged 35-45% on day one, and managements were confident that turnout would gradually improve. Officials said reopening in Mumbai is likely to pick up in coming weeks. Lack of parental consent and the online exam schedule have delayed the process, said an official.
At Borivli’s Don Bosco school, 141 of 541 students attended physical classes. Principal Flovi Dsouza said efforts are on to instill confidence in parents. But at others like Gopi Birla Memorial in Walkeshwar, parents have not consented to in-person learning. Principal Veena Shrivastava said they will continue with online teaching for the time being.
In Mumbai, civic schools had over 45% attendance. Urban areas of Thane district had 40% while rural areas saw 54% students attending.
Junior colleges in Mumbai could barely reopen on Monday as class 11 and 12 students, who are below 18, are not vaccinated and hence not allowed to commute by train to their colleges. In all, there are 1,772 aided and unaided schools and junior colleges in Mumbai and 4.46 lakh students between classes 8-12.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in a virtual address to teachers and students, urged them to strictly follow SOPs so that schools don’t have to shut again. Unveiling the ‘My Student, My Responsibility’ campaign, he asked teachers to shoulder the responsibility of keeping students and themselves safe. Dr Suhas Prabhu, chief of the paediatric task force of the state, said this was “the right time” to reopen schools.
Education officials and politicians also visited schools and issued appeals urging parents to send children for in-person, offline learning. Thane collector Rajesh Narvekar visited his alma mater Saraswati High School and conducted a Marathi class for class 10 students.
“Physical schools are a must…students have suffered immense learning loss,” said Sushil Singh, supervisor of Swami Vivekanand School, Chembur. The school conducted offline classes in batches from 7.15 am to 6.15 pm for students of 8, 9 and 10.
State school education minister Varsha Gaikwad who visited a few institutions said a blended approach to education is needed in these difficult times. Teachers, she said, should watch for psychological effects of school closure on students.
Schools have now chalked out online and offline timetables. Abhishek Kulkarni of Laxmibai school, Mulund said they have implemented the hybrid teaching method. The school had around 32% attendance.
(With inputs by Bhavika Jain)
