BENGALURU: A standoff between parents and private schools over the reopening of campuses continues in Bengaluru. While some parents are complaining that schools are forcing them to send children to on-campus classes, others complain that schools are not reopening.
Recently, parents of a CBSE school in Kundalahalli got angry with the management of a school and protested after asking students to appear for exams on the campus.
“Many of us are not in Bengaluru,” said a student’s parent. “It is not practical to go back to the city and find accommodation just for the exam. Instead, the school can conduct its online examination. In addition, the COVID-19 infection is still high, and the school is not specifying what the COVID-19 safeguards will be. ,
Another parent said: “The school is not offering transport. This would mean that working parents would have to take leave to drop in and pick up their children on exam days. ,
On the other hand, the Association of Primary and Secondary Schools has raised concerns over some schools which are not ready to reopen even after the lifting of restrictions by the government. The association claimed that some schools are trying to save money on the pretext that parents are not ready to send their children to school. A matter of choice “Parents say it’s a matter of choice,” said D Shashi Kumar, secretary of the association of primary and secondary schools Karnataka,
“Just as some parents do not want to send their children to school, others want their children to go to school. However, due to the closure of these schools, they are not able to exercise their choice. Do schools not have a duty to facilitate the children who want to go to school? Are they not depriving the child of his fundamental right?”
The association said that it is only a few CBSE and ICSE schools in urban areas that are refusing to reopen due to this reason. “Many overhead costs are saved if schools remain closed. They have received full fees from the students as they are continuing with the online classes,” Kumar said.
However, a management member of a popular chain of schools said: “I do not agree that we are all closed to save money. Attendance is high in government schools as they do not have the option of online classes. The problem will be solved if the government decides and says that all schools will only have to offer on-campus classes. Now we are in Catch 22 position.
Very few management members claimed that only 25-30% of parents are sending their children to school. “With such low numbers, running school buses and vans is not viable,” said the member. “If we run both online and offline classes together then we will have shortage of teachers. Hence, we are compelled to keep it online. While it may be possible for small schools to reopen for on-campus classes, it is extremely difficult for large schools like us to manage with disgruntled parents. ,
The Public Education Department said it would instruct all schools to reopen this academic year. “Irrespective of their type and stature, schools must reopen as children have been adversely affected socially and psychologically due to prolonged closure. Schools should be reopened to ensure holistic development of children,” said Vishal R, Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction. “We will inquire from individual schools as to why they do not want to reopen,” he said.
Recently, parents of a CBSE school in Kundalahalli got angry with the management of a school and protested after asking students to appear for exams on the campus.
“Many of us are not in Bengaluru,” said a student’s parent. “It is not practical to go back to the city and find accommodation just for the exam. Instead, the school can conduct its online examination. In addition, the COVID-19 infection is still high, and the school is not specifying what the COVID-19 safeguards will be. ,
Another parent said: “The school is not offering transport. This would mean that working parents would have to take leave to drop in and pick up their children on exam days. ,
On the other hand, the Association of Primary and Secondary Schools has raised concerns over some schools which are not ready to reopen even after the lifting of restrictions by the government. The association claimed that some schools are trying to save money on the pretext that parents are not ready to send their children to school. A matter of choice “Parents say it’s a matter of choice,” said D Shashi Kumar, secretary of the association of primary and secondary schools Karnataka,
“Just as some parents do not want to send their children to school, others want their children to go to school. However, due to the closure of these schools, they are not able to exercise their choice. Do schools not have a duty to facilitate the children who want to go to school? Are they not depriving the child of his fundamental right?”
The association said that it is only a few CBSE and ICSE schools in urban areas that are refusing to reopen due to this reason. “Many overhead costs are saved if schools remain closed. They have received full fees from the students as they are continuing with the online classes,” Kumar said.
However, a management member of a popular chain of schools said: “I do not agree that we are all closed to save money. Attendance is high in government schools as they do not have the option of online classes. The problem will be solved if the government decides and says that all schools will only have to offer on-campus classes. Now we are in Catch 22 position.
Very few management members claimed that only 25-30% of parents are sending their children to school. “With such low numbers, running school buses and vans is not viable,” said the member. “If we run both online and offline classes together then we will have shortage of teachers. Hence, we are compelled to keep it online. While it may be possible for small schools to reopen for on-campus classes, it is extremely difficult for large schools like us to manage with disgruntled parents. ,
The Public Education Department said it would instruct all schools to reopen this academic year. “Irrespective of their type and stature, schools must reopen as children have been adversely affected socially and psychologically due to prolonged closure. Schools should be reopened to ensure holistic development of children,” said Vishal R, Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction. “We will inquire from individual schools as to why they do not want to reopen,” he said.
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