KURNOOL: Even as schools are gearing up to reopen from November 2, at least 120 students of classes 9 and 10 and 25 teachers have tested positive for Covid-19 in Kurnool district. All of them were tested in the last few weeks.
District Education Officer M Sai Ram said, “As part of the arrangements to reopen the schools, all teachers and students, especially of government institutions, were advised to undergo Covid-19 testing at their nearest hospitals. As many as 120 students of classes 9 and 10 and 25 teachers were found to have been infected.”
He said 90 per cent of the infected have since recovered and are under observation, and that a response from the government on if the schools should be reopened as per the schedule was awaited.
He said the testing drive would continue and that parents must cooperate and get their children tested. As per official instruction, the schools will conduct classes on alternate days.
“If students of classes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 attend school on a day, those of classes 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 will attend the next day.
Schools will function for only half-a-day in November and the students will be sent home after mid-day meals. Online classes will, however, continue for those who do not want to attend the physical classes,” the DEO told TNIE.
As per the official records, the district has 4,389 schools, including 2,438 primary, 941 upper primary and 1,010 high schools, which have enrolled 6,77,122 children and employed 24,211 teachers.
Meanwhile, several parents said they would be willing to send their kids to schools only after vaccination starts.
A parent said online classes are far better, but agreed that if students of classes 9 and 10 lose an entire year then the impact on their education would be colossal.