Three days after schools reopened in Andhra Pradesh, at least 262 students and around 160 teachers have tested positive for Covid-19.
According to the statistics provided by the state education department, there are 9.75 lakh students registered for Class 9 and 10 in the state out of which 3.93 lakh attended, out of 1.11 lakh teachers, over 99,000 thousand attended the educational institutions on Wednesday. Out of these 262 students and 160 teachers have tested positive for Covid-19.
The government has, however, said that the situation is not alarming.
Commissioner of School Education V Chinna Veerabhadrudu told news agency PTI that the figure is not alarming when compared to the number of students attending the schools, though every care is being taken to ensure Covid-19 safety protocols are in place in every institution.
“Yesterday (November 4) around four lakh students attended schools. There were 262 positive cases. It is not even 0.1 per cent. It is not correct to say that they were affected due to their attendance to schools. We ensure that each schoolroom has only 15 or 16 students,” the official told PTI, adding “It is not alarming.”
According to V Chinna Veerabhadrudu, the attendance of students to schools was hovering about 40 per cent as parents are still apprehensive of the killer virus despite tight measures being taken by the government.
Veerabhadrudu said poor students who could not afford online classes are the most affected ones if the schools were not open and it is a quandary for girl students in tribal and rural areas as parents may indulge in child marriages if the teenagers stop going to schools.All government schools and colleges reopened from November 2 for classes 9, 10 and intermediate. Classes 9 and 10 and Intermediate first and second year would function on alternate days only for half-a-day. Classes 6, 7 and 8 would begin on November 23 while classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 would start from December 14, an official statement said earlier.
All the educational institutions have remained closed since March when the national lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 was announced.
The Andhra Pradesh government has said that, as the schools and colleges reopen, it will actively help the students deal with their psychological issues emerging out of financial, career-oriented as well as any other forms of stress which could push them into a pessimistic sphere.
As a part of it, the education department has asked all the government universities in the state to set up a 'counselling cell' on campus.
“Highly-qualified psychology professors, a lot of whom have at some point been practicing counsellors will be responsible for addressing the issues of students in order to bring them back to the right path,” Special Chief Secretary Satish Chandra told India Today TV.
He added that authorities have noticed students scared about their future in the backdrop of the prevailing pandemic situation.
“Some of them also carry the baggage of other forms of stress due to the lockdown and the outbreak. Mental health is as important as physical health for a student who aims to do well. Due to the same, we have undertaken this initiative with the aim of getting such students back to the right path,” Satish Chandra said.
He assured that student’s careers aren't in danger and that the government and the departments stand with them and will provide all the guidance and assistance.