Warangal: Schools witness low turnout

Warangal: Indicating that people were still sceptical about the impact of coronavirus pandemic, the schools that reopened on Wednesday drew a little patronage.

According to education officials, around 30 per cent of students turned to schools on the first day of reopening in the erstwhile Warangal district. Despite the lukewarm response, the officials expressed confidence that the attendance would go up gradually in a few days.

The officials said that they have taken all precautionary measures – sanitisation of classrooms, thermal screening of students, besides ensuring students wear masks and maintain physical distancing inside and outside the school.

Warangal district education officer (DEO) D Vasanthi, who inspected several schools, expressed satisfaction over the functioning of schools with Covid-19 protocols. "Little around 30 per cent of students attended the school. We are enquiring about the reasons behind the meagre turnout of the students to schools despite ensuring Covid-19 protocol.

We will sensitise the parents about the safety measures being taken by the schools to keep coronavirus at bay," the DEO said. She was also of the opinion to organise meetings with the parents to convince them. All that the parents need to do is to explain to their wards about the Covid-19 protocols, she said.

Speaking to The Hans India, home-maker G Saritha Reddy said, "There is still a hint of Covid-19 in the air. We would like to wait some more time before sending kids to the school. Schools may have been sanitised and clean but it's difficult to control the kids once they were let loose."

Meanwhile, the students appeared enthusiastic as they had a chance to see their friends after a long gap. "I am happy to see my school and friends again. I am bored of virtual classes staying back at home for months together," D Srinivas, Class VI student at ZP school in Fort Warangal.

With intermittent showers around, teachers had to take utmost care.

Not just the Covid-19, there is also a danger due to seasonal fevers and other diseases, BV Rajagopal, a teacher, said.

Elsewhere at Zilla Parishad Secondary School in Kambalapally of Mahabubabad district, the students received a rousing welcome to classes with the teachers offering them bouquets. However, not many students attended the classes.