Hyderabad: Donning crisp new uniforms and showing off new bags and lunch boxes to one another, school children returned to schools on Monday after the summer vacation.
Students said that the first day of school in a new academic year is always special as they get to meet their friends after long, take part in assemblies and share stories of their summer adventures with one another.
Most schools reported attendance levels well below the average threshold, citing the ongoing summer and high temperatures. While budgeted schools witnessed attendance levels between 20 and 40 per cent, missionary schools, which almost always log 100 per cent attendance, also reported below-par numbers on the first day.
The reopening of schools, however, brought back traffic nightmares in school zones, as autorickshaws clog roads to pick up and drop students. However, those running app-based autos said that they recorded an increase in demand on Monday, as most users were unable to book one.
Uma Maheshwara Rao, the president of Telangana Private Schools Association, said, “Most of the private schools which are budgeted schools had thin attendance, between 20 and 40 per cent. There was a confusion among parents as they thought that the government may extend the holidays.”
Rev. Bro. Sudhakar Reddy, principal, St Paul’s High School, Hyderguda, said, “This is the first time we had an attendance close to 80 per cent. Mostly, missionary schools make it a point to have full strength from Day One of the academic year. I believe this is because of the heat.”
