ROURKELA: With the Covid situation improving and the third wave not very virulent on children, Sundargarh district joined the rest of Odisha to resume physical classes from Class-VIII onwards to bring back the enthusiasm on school and college campuses on Monday. While the attendance was reportedly low on the first day, the district administration is hopeful of more students joining in the subsequent days.
Students of Class-VIII to X under the School and Mass Education (SME) department have returned to schools after a gap of one to three months while those from Class I to V, who have not attended school for nearly two years owing to the pandemic, will resume classroom learning from February 14.
Kumjharia high school headmaster and Sundargarh district President of All Utkal Primary Teachers’ Federation Sanjay Samal said students and teachers are very happy to be back in schools as the disruption due to the pandemic had taken a toll on studies and mental health.
Contacted, Sundargarh district education officer (DEO) AK Pradhan said the average attendance for Class-VIII in the district was about 45 per cent while it was 49 per cent for Classes IX and X. “The attendance will hopefully rise in the next couple of days. Block education officers are visiting various schools to ensure compliance of Covid protocols.
Physical classes for Classes I to V could not be held after March 2020, while classroom study for Class-VIII had resumed on October 25 followed by reopening of Classes VI and VII in November last year.
All classes from VI to X were closed from January 8 this year owing to fear of the Omicron variant.