First day of reopening: 32.47% attendance recorded at schools

HYDERABAD: According to the district-wise daily attendance report published by the additional state project director Ramesh, the state saw 32.47 per cent attendance on the first day of reopening of schools after a 24-day break. Among the districts, Komaram Bheem saw the highest at 51 per cent attendance in government, aided and private schools, whereas Peddapalli reported the least at 19.77 per cent. Hyderabad saw an attendance of 33.36 per cent.

It is found that least attendance was reported in pre-primary and primary schools but a higher attendance was in classes 8 to 10, in government and private schools. While most schools reopened on the stipulated date, many are still shut, reasoning out that they would first observe the situation in other schools, take learnings and then decide on reopening, until then providing regular online classes. Several schools decided to reopen from Wednesday as February 1 was a new moon day.  

The government schools had a 100 per cent teacher attendance as against 1/4th of student attendance, said B. Priya (name changed) a government teacher. “Most students were sent back as they had a higher body temperature. When asked, they said their parents had fallen sick in the last couple of weeks. A very few said they got themselves tested but were only taking medicines like paracetamol” said Priya. She also said most schools had not been sanitised.

Teachers said students were largely eager to return to schools and parents could now focus on work. “We could see students feeling uncomfortable when made to sit at one place, so even as we started the curriculum, we arranged a few activities and had discussion in classes to apprise them of the academic plan for the year. We took some confidence building measures to ensure that more students turn up to schools,” said Shiva Rama, owner of a private school in the city.

A large section of students has not yet returned from their villages due to the upcoming Sammakka Saralamma Jatara which begins on 14 February. “Most of the families will fulfil their commitments during the jatra in the coming week and we can expect more attendance after the jatra ends on 19 February,” said Y. Shekar Rao, Telangana Recognised School Management Association (TRSMA) state president. Most government schools also reported lack of financial support from the government in order to conduct sanitisation drives and hire workers for cleaning.

There was an average 20-25 per cent attendance in private intermediate colleges in the state, while the government colleges saw even lesser attendance after the 24-day break, said Gouri Satish, president, Telangana Private Junior College Association. He added that as private colleges were calling up students and encouraging them to attend classes, government colleges should follow suit.