After months of lockdown, schools in the state reopened, though some are still hesitant to throw open the doors while others are in the process of restarting in-person classes.
In Shillong, St Dominic Savio’s Higher Secondary School in Mawkhar started with classes 9, 10 and 12 and recorded attendance of 85 per cent, with the few absentees informing the school authorities prior. Class 11 will begin tomorrow.
Speaking to Highland Post, social science teacher Memory M Kurbah said that, after months of lockdown, the students seem lost but happy to be able to attend offline classes and meet their friends.
“We are strictly following all the Covid-19 protocols, engaging disciplinarian teachers on a roster basis to look after the safety aspect, right from the main entrance of the school and classrooms that would otherwise accommodate more than 40 students now only have half that number in order to maintain social distancing,” Kurbah said.
The more junior classes, i.e. 6-8, will stay online for now, as the authorities see how the reopening for the more senior grades goes. She said that it is important to make classes 9 and 10 more regular as these students have missed too much school since last year and they need to complete the syllabus and board examination preparation.
Online classes were held since last year but students from remote areas where internet connectivity is poor or for those from poorer families suffered.
“With an enrolment of around 1,500 from nursery to class 12 this year, St Dominic Savio’s is also conducting online Covid classes from class 1 to 12 to create awareness on the coronavirus and their parents about all the guidelines laid down and safety measures,” Kurbah said.
On the direction from the Centre that all teachers get at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccination by September, Kurbah, who has already taken two doses, said, “I feel vaccination for all teachers is a must for the safety of the students and society as a whole.” She added, however, that it is also important that parents also get the jab.
Meanwhile, assistant teacher in the KJP Girls’ HSS in Mawkhar, Babu Kular Khongjirem, said that his school will try to reopen next week. The process of collecting written consent from parents is currently ongoing.
In Ri-Bhoi, St Paul’s HSS saw most of its students express their joy at being able to come back to school.
Class 12 students Shooting Star Thangkhiew, Risuklang Syiem and Anup Roy said that they are thrilled to be able to sit in their classrooms again and meet teachers and friends.
“Physical classes are so much better than those online,” the students said, adding that they are able to concentrate better offline.
The school principal, Sr Anjelina Ch Marak, also extended her gratitude to the state government for allowing schools to reopen as online classes alone will not meet the desire or requirements of the students.
Among other schools in the state capital, St Margaret’s HSS principal Sr Mary Saio said that the institute will start the reopening with the higher secondary sections.
All teachers at the school have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, with half having had both jabs.
Another school, Laban Bengalee Boys HSS, said that it is taking all precautions and following all pro
“We have asked the students to sanitise their hands and even classrooms have also been sanitised. Students are seated in such a manner that they maintain social distancing,” principal R Bhattacharjee said.
Meanwhile, Fr Richard Majaw, secretary of the Shillong Archdiocesan Education Society, said that the schools under the jurisdiction of the archdiocese will rely on the government’s decision to reopen schools.
“On the one hand, students have lost a lot due to the pandemic but, on the other, there is also apprehension (about the virus) since most of them are young,” Fr Majaw said.
