Can we really use the expression, ‘Post Covid’ opening of schools? Had this been really the case, we all would not be talking about obvious precautions and unprecedented safeguards that schools, parents and community must take to keep our children safe while ensuring the learning continuum.
When and how to open the school is the moot question!
No one is really sure, including central and state governments, CBSE, NCERT and others.
Though there was the talk of holding the pending CBSE exams in July, get corrections done, compilation and result declaration by Mid August and opening the schools after Mid August.
And the schools started planning for opening, like fumigating, sanitising, training the guards and support staff, augmenting infrastructure and housekeeping resources, contemplating the transportation adjustments, desks placing, numbers per day, which classes, timing etc., we realised that Hon’ble Supreme Court has asked CBSE, if it can declare the result without holding the examination for the pending subjects. Will the schools really open in August, given the rising number of Covid cases?
Parents are concerned, worried about the safety against this invisible pathogen and the need to start going for work. Not all may have the luxury of working from home.
Teachers could work from home during the Lockdown and later too. We highly appreciate the resilience and resolution of the teachers and children in taking the learning forward.
In fact, many students have shown exemplary leadership and learnt newer hobbies and showed traits of being independent learners, ready to share their new found independence by organising events in small teams.
Teachers became proficient in technology, schools arranged online platforms and organised continuous online trainings, CBSE, FICCI Arise, Sankalp Sahodaya, CII, TCS, Microsoft, Scholastic India, International Universities, Adventure Unlimited, Rocksports and Publishing Houses organised online Trainings, many free of cost. Teaching Academies, Entreneurship and Career Guidance Webinars were available freely. We were rubbing shoulders with international trainers and were audience globally.
Overnight many principals moved on from managing their own schools to motivating and guiding others by taking Workshops and Webinars.
Parents invested in imparting Life Skills to children and their efforts paid off. Young students were not complaining and adjusted to the new normal beautifully.
Nita Arora
Principal/ Co Learner/ Co Creator
Sri Venkateshwar International School
Sector-18, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
www.svis.org.in
