Patna schools make arrangements for partial reopening from September 21

PATNA: Schools in the city are making all arrangements to ensure safety of students as the Centre has allowed partial resumption of activities for students of classes IX to XII from September 21 as part of Unlock 4.0.
As per the guidelines, students from Class IX onwards are permitted to visit the schools to seek guidance from teachers only with the written consent of their parents from September 21.

All the educational institutions were abruptly shut in March as coronavirus began to spread in the country. As a result, online classes became the new normal for students.
Mary Alphonsa, principal of Don Bosco Academy, said they were awaiting guidelines from the state government for partial reopening of schools.
“We will have to see how many parents allow their kids to visit the school. Accordingly, we will make sitting arrangements for them. Seeing the present situation, I don’t think that schools should reopen in Bihar as the virus infection is at its peak. However, if the schools partially reopen, we will follow the safety protocols,” she added.
Sr M Serena AC, principal of Carmel High School, said, “The school will follow the standard operating procedure issued by the Centre, including thermal screening of students, hand sanitisation at the schools gate and in classes. We are awaiting a clear guideline from the district administration.”
Several schools have decided to conduct classes on alternate days to maintain social distancing, reduce school timing and divide each class into three.
V S Ojha, principal of D A V Public School, BSEB, said the school would go for physical guidance classes twice a week for each set of students.
“Each section will be divided into three. There will be enough distance between each desk in a classroom. Similarly, we will engage the teachers in such a way that they are able take physical as well as online classes. The students of secondary and senior secondary sections will appear for the board exams next year and the school has to clear the doubts they are having in understanding the topics,” Ojha said.
Principal of Baldwin Academy Rajiv Ranjan Sinha said, “We will partially reopen the school if the state government allows us to do so. Students can come and consult teachers to clear their doubts taking consent of their parents.”
Vaishnavi, a Class XII student, said, “I have many doubts that I want to clear with my teachers, especially in physics and chemistry. Without lab practical, it is not possible to understand some theories.”
Rahul Gupta, a Class X student, said, “Although, we appeared for the online exam, it was not like the exams we used to give in classrooms. My performance was affected as I was not used to virtual exams.”
Satish Kumar Ranjan, whose daughter studies in Class IX, said, “Reopening of schools, even for remedial classes, is not a good idea under the present circumstances. Online classes are good enough and there is one year left before my child appears for the board exam.”