Students all over India were in a state of confusion since the pandemic demanded a closure of all educational institutes for the safety of all. The re-opening of schools and colleges in Rajasthan from today i.e. 18 January 2021 has brought in mixed reactions.

Students from 9th to 12th grade attended schools today, of course with the due written consent from the parents. Some students and parents are thrilled that the schools are re-opening whereas some are still scared. In cogniscance to the upcoming board exams for classes 10th and 12th in the month of May 2021, it has become imperative that students get proper teaching sessions as online mode of classes was not really making up for the classroom session. The teachers and schools had put in exemplary effort to keep the students updated with their coursework and teaching, but with schools opening for the senior classes, some additional offline classes will surely make up for the gap.

The UdaipurTimes Team spoke to Keerti Maken, Principal of Seedling Modern Public School in Udaipur and she was overwhelmed with the anticipation of welcoming students to school once again. She said that the school welcomed the students warmly to the new normal classrooms! The Seedling school campus came alive once again with the bubbling energy of senior students.  After a hiatus of more than 300 days, the eerie silence on campus echoed with life and delight with the children returning back after the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19.  Schools were the first entity to shut down from precaution point of view followed by everything else and now have opened their doors to students.

With poor internet network and lack of mobile handsets at home (though it has been reported that mobile sale went high due to online classes), many students are eager to get back to school. Many parents are worried about the safety as children tend to remove masks, they are also worried about the sanitisation process though schools have been trying to convince everyone that everything will be taken care of well.

The re-opening of schools has been a big question since the pandemic demands safety of the students. All schools are reopening for students from 9th to 12th grade.  Written consent of the parents is required for the ward attending the school.

The seating capacity in each classroom, as per the guidelines by the government, is 50 percent of total classroom strength to maintain social distancing. The colleges and coaching institutes are also re-opening where a gap of 30 minutes has been specified between 2 batches so that classrooms can be sanitised.

“No Mask No Entry” has to be strictly followed. Cameras will have to be installed for the monitoring of all guidelines pertaining to the pandemic. Students must sanitise their hands before entering the classrooms and while exiting the classrooms.

A few more pictures from a school in Udaipur as students make it through safely on day 1 of the post COVID Lockdown school sessions: