Chandigarh: Nil to 50% attendance in schools

CHANDIGARH: While many city-based government schools witnessed zero to seven students in a single class, some of the periphery schools saw around 50% attendance in classes VI to VIII on day one of the reopening of schools.
Students of classes IX to XII have been attending schools since November 2.
According to the data received from the UT education department, around 9,500 students of classes IX to XII had been attending classes till last week.However, on Monday, director school education Rubinderjit Singh Brar said around 20,000 students of classes VI to XII attended the school. The bifurcation, has however, not been shared.
Schools in the periphery, including government schools in Dhanas, Manimajra Behlana, saw around 50% strength in classes VI to VIII. However, many city schools saw zero attendance in classes VI and VII and only two to three students of class VIII attended the school.
The education department is hopeful of increase in attendance in government schools by the end of the week.
The schools have made all the necessary arrangements like sanitisers at the gate, thermal checking, hand wash in washrooms and social distancing in classrooms. Schools, that were reopened, were also inspected by the teams formed by the education department.
The school gates were opened for students at 9am. Teachers were called in by 8.30 am to review the arrangements. It was mandatory for students to bring written consent from parents.
The students were checked for any illness with the help of thermal scanners at the entrance. They were asked to sanitise their hands. Various posters informing about fight against coronavirus have been put up in schools for students as well as parents.
They were advised not to touch anything and sanitise hands regularly. In classrooms, only one student was allowed to sit on one bench and only 10 to 15 students were allowed in a classroom. However, the number of students was less.
Consent letter of parents was collected by teachers and children with consent forms were only allowed to attend classes.