HYDERABAD: Parents breathe easy. You now have an option of either sending your children to school for physical classes or opt for online classes.
As schools are reopening on July 1, the State government cleared the air by submitting to the High Court on Wednesday that it was not mandatory for the children to attend classes in person and that they could continue with online classes. Parents interested in sending their children to schools should submit their consent letter to the schools concerned.
Education Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania said within two days, the government would finalise guidelines for starting classes. When the court pointed out that the government was taking a risk by resuming physical classes as ensuring physical distancing among children in schools was difficult, Sultania said the government would keep the court’s suggestion in mind.The bench gave a week to the department to apprise it on decisions taken by the government as to which classes would provide instructions in hybrid mode.
The court directed the government to recognise teachers and lecturers as falling under high-risk category and inoculate them against Covid-19 on a priority basis, to which the Director of Health G Srinivasa Rao said about five lakh teaching and non-teaching staff were being vaccinated.
The Education Department stated that 17 teachers drafted for election duty had died of Covid-19 and all benefits admissible were given to their kin. The bench asked the department to ensure their kin get the benefits which are due.
According to sources in the government, the Education Department has been contemplating to start classes in a phased manner. For classes VIII, IX and X, the department is proposing to start classes from July 1 and for classes VI and VII, from July 20. For the rest, the department plans to start physical instruction after one to one-and-a-half months.