Rain plays spoilsport but students return to school
Fifteen-year-old Aradhna Kumari, a Class 9 student, on Wednesday stepped into a physically distanced school campus for the first time in 17 months. The Greater Kailash-2 resident said she was happy to meet and greet her friends and teachers in person after nearly one-and-a-half years.
Recalling her initial pandemic days of 2020, the teenager said that, like most students, she was happy when classes were called off in March 2020. Little did she know that the closure was going to continue for as long as it did.
“I was excited to meet my classmates and friends after such a long time. It felt nice and different to see people in person and not on a phone screen,” said Kumari, a student of Chirag Enclave-sarvodaya (Co-ed) Vidyalaya (Kautilya).
With two other school-going siblings, Kumari said she struggled with internet and accessibility issues during online classes. “My siblings are studying in classes 6 and 9. Many times, our classes take place at the same time and only one of us is able to attend them,” said Kumari.
Vishal Kumar, another Class 9 student of the school, said his first day back was largely spent interacting with teachers and checking on the progress in different subjects. The 14-year-old
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said he was happy to be back, and to be finally free of internet issues. “Sometimes, we are unable to join the online class or are removed from an ongoing class due to technical issues. Online classes are fraught with disturbances since several students tend to unmute at the same time while responding to the teacher,” said Kumar.
School principal Chitender Singh Verma said of the nearly 800 students in classes 9, 10, and 12, only around 300 were back in school.
“The rain did not have much of an impact on our attendance. Students are excited about coming back, and we expect the attendance to pick up,” said Verma.
The school has 24 benches in a classroom and only 12 students were permitted in each room. Most of the school staff are vaccinated, said Verma. “We have 67 teachers and all of them have received their first vaccine dose, and 75% are fully vaccinated.”
To ensure mask compliance, the school has asked both teachers and security guards to monitor students. Pradeep Kumar Dahiya, a science teacher, said, “A guard goes to all classes to enquire if any student requires an extra mask or a new mask.”
Since several government schools are also functioning as vaccination and ration distribution centres, schools have demarcated areas for these activities, away from the space for academic activities.
At Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya Jogabai in New Friends Colony, while the vaccination drive was taking place on the ground floor, classes were conducted on the first floor. Vice-principal Usha Kiran said,“we are also keeping a strict vigil on students and escorting them to the classroom so that they don’t mingle with beneficiaries,” said Kiran.
The number of students in one class at the school has been capped at 15 and classes are being conducted in sessions. On Wednesday, 48 students turned up at the school with written consent from parents, said Kiran, adding that attendance was low due to the rain.
Teachers were also happy with the resumption of in-person classes. Manju Gupta, English teacher at the school, said, “While we engage with students during online classes as well, many students hesitate in asking doubts. When students are in front of us, we can gauge from their body language whether they are paying attention or not,” said Gupta.
At Government Co-ed Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Sector 21, Rohini, students returned to classrooms adorned with welcome posters, balloons and flowers. Sukhbir Singh Yadav, school principal, said that while the attendance was low in comparison to other days, students were happy to receive a warm welcome from teachers.