Some schools in Nagaland reopen while others wait

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 23 (EMN): After more than five months of unusual silence inside the premises of educational institutions, some schools in Nagaland have come alive again with classes for students of classes 9 to 12 having resumed, while others are yet to reopen and continuing with online classes.

Educational institutions in the state have been remaining closed since March 17 after the government ordered its closure as a measure to contain the spread of Covid-19, until it issued a fresh order last week, allowing schools to reopen for classes 9 to 12 on voluntary basis starting from September 21.

The vice-principal of Mezhűr Higher Secondary School in Kohima, Zubeni, told Eastern Mirror that they have reopened the school for classes 9-12 from Tuesday, September 22, while the lower classes will not resume until they receive a new government order. Classes are being held from 9 am to12 pm, she said.

‘We are following safety measures by screening all the students at the entry gate and using a fumigation machine to sanitise the classrooms,’ she said, adding that they are maintaining physical distance inside the classroom by making one student sit on a bench and keeping only around 15 students in a classroom.

She informed that even though the school has reopened, ‘it is not compulsory to attend the classes and it is only with the consent of parents that some students are coming’.

She said that they have made a routine for students: Mondays for Section A of classes 9-12, Tuesdays for Cection B, Wednesdays for Section C and so on. She added that the classes will continue even if one student attends.

She further informed that online classes are still continuing for all the classes even after the reopening of the school. She added that they started online classes in the month of June and before that they had been reaching out to the students through WhatsApp and other means.

A teacher from Model School in Mon, Lihnyu Konyak, also informed this newspaper that the school reopened for students of classes 9-10 on Wednesday. She shared that they are strictly maintaining SOP and disinfecting the classrooms, and students are also not allowed to go out once they enter the classrooms, unless for emergency.

The principal of Model School in Mon has also issued SOP for students and teachers. It stated that students are to take their parent’s or guardian’s approval to attend the classes. Thermal screening and hand washing will be done at the entrance gate, and physical distancing norms in the classroom, corridors and office to be maintained. It also stated that sharing of notebooks, pen, pencil, eraser, water bottle, etc. amongst the staff and students will not be allowed. Teachers and students should also wear masks throughout the conduct of teaching activities, and those from containment zones will not be allowed to attend the school.

Another teacher from Nazareth School in Pfutsero informed that the principal has asked the students of classes 9 and 10 to come with written permission from their parents to attend school and meet their subject teachers and get help starting from September 26.

However, a staff of Chandmari Higher Secondary School in Kohima has informed that they have not resumed classes, but since September 21, they have been allowing students to come to school for consultations and inquiry from Monday to Friday till 12 noon. They have also prepared face masks and sanitisers for students. ‘Online classes are in full swing,’ he said.

The principal of St Mary’s Cathedral Higher Secondary School in Kohima, Fr. Jayson, also told this newspaper that they have not reopened the school as ‘parents have requested not to resume classes’.

‘We have been giving full-fledged online classes from our school, from class LKG till class 12, from 9 am- 3 pm everyday, i.e, Monday-Saturday,’ he said.

‘Not a single parent has opted for class but they are happy with the online classes because we never stopped since we started in April, which has been going on for six months,’ he informed.

He further said that teachers have been coming to the school to give online classes as they got the permit. He said that out of total 70 teachers, 35 teachers take turn to come to school- on alternate days.

‘Our school conducts all the exams through online,’ he added.

‘For students from the poorer section, who could not attend online classes, we are looking forward to helping them,’ he said, adding that some students may not be able to afford smartphones and computers.

He also stated that they did not take school fees for three month from all the students of the school. They also conducted offline classes for those who could not attend the online classes, stating that they can access the lessons (all the chapters and videos) anytime through the school app using their own password.

It may be mentioned that the state government has permitted partial reopening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12 on voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers in areas outside the containment zones with effect from September 21, subject to strict adherence to standard operating procedure.