Connect with us

Top Stories

On day-1 of reopening, lack of students force schools to shut early in Goa | Goa News – Times of India

Published

on

[ad_1]

PANAJI: As schools across the state partially opened on Saturday, attendance, especially in high enrolment institutes was 30% or lower. After the eight-month gap, some institutes said that classes saw as few as two students reporting to schools. Some institutes were forced to wind up early.
Students from Classes X and XII were seen returning home around two hours in school. As the reopening was scheduled on a weekend, school managements are hoping for better numbers on Monday.
Principal of Vidya Prabodhini Higher Secondary School, Porvorim, Damodar Mardolkar, said that the attendance was slightly better only in the case of science stream Class XII students, as they could finally take up the practical component in the laboratory, which could not be touched upon since June.
“Of the 247 students studying in the school in Class XII in the streams of arts, commerce and science, only 61, or 24.7%, were present on Saturday,” said Mardolkar. “Due to low attendance, we had to send students home early. We will know the correct picture on Monday.” He added that many parents are yet to get back with the forms they were asked to submit on whether or not they are willing to send students for physical classes.
Dilip Dharwadkar of Mushtifund Higher Secondary School asked to parents to allow Class X and XII students to attend classes.
“Of the 250 Class X students, only 80 were present today,” he said. “Out of the 152 Class XII students, only 8 were present. We trust that the attendance will be significantly higher on Monday. The school has taken all precautions like disinfecting surfaces, sanitising school premises at regular intervals and ensuring that social distancing is maintained between students. Parents should send students to attend classes.”
Students said the new normal in schools felt odd on day-one of the partial reopening.
“It felt odd to attend school without the usual crowd and chatter and noise,” said Harsh Patel, student of Class XII (commerce) at Vasantrao Dempo Higher Secondary School, Cujira. “Physical classes are better in terms of being able to grasp what is being taught. But where safety is concerned, online classes are preferred. We had geography practicals for commerce students and so we were called to school from 9am to 10.30am.”
Mahesh Karapurkar, a parent whose son studies in Class XII and attended school on the first day, said he was happy that physical classes have resumed. “We do not know when we will be rid of the pandemic entirely,” he said. “We cannot stop living until then. The students had not been in touch with their friends for such a long period and this was giving rise to stress in them. Now their life will at least partially normalise.”
In rural schools, attendance was better than in city schools.
Headmaster of Shri Nirakar School, Mashem, Hemant Kamat, said that of the 30 students studying in Class X in the high school, 28 were present on Saturday. “All have been accommodated in a hall that has a capacity of 500,” he said. “The entire hall was sanitised before commencement of the classes. Students brought their tiffins, and they were not permitted to share their tiffin with their friends,” he added.
Kavita Gaonkar of Balaram Higher Secondary School, Ardhofond, Canacona, said that students have been split into groups of 10. “We are conducting classes from 8am to 12.30pm,” she said.
Even though the partial school reopening was scheduled on the first day after the Diwali break, almost all schools appeared to have been meticulous in implementing the directorate of education (DoE) safety guidelines.
Students that reported to school were seen being thermally scanned while entering the school premises, and later being instructed to sanitise their hands. The seating was arranged with only 10 to 12 students in a class, with one or two benches in between left vacant. The entry and exit was being monitored to ensure there was no crowding.
“It was difficult for institutes to make arrangements as the guidelines for school reopening from the directorate of education came just four or five days prior,” said a teacher. “Schools were already on Diwali vacation when the reopening circular came, and on the very first day after vacation, the school was reopening. Institutes have worked during the vacation to put all the necessary arrangements in place.”

[ad_2]

Source link

Special Stories

Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

Published

on

Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

Continue Reading

Top Stories

Goa CM, NRI Commissioner writes to MoEF for help in safe return of Goans from Ukraine

Published

on

Panaji: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to help in safe return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

Sawant tweeted “we are concerned about the Goans in Ukraine who are considering to return to India in the light of ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. I request Union Minister for External Affairs @DrSJaishankar ji for help in the safe return of Goans. I am keeping track of the situation.”

The chief minister’s tweet comes hours after Goa’s NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar wrote to the Union External Affairs ministry seeking help in return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

“Many Goans are currently residing in Ukraine due to various purposes including higher studies and due to the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, I have started receiving requests for help and assistance from them to return back to India,” Sawaikar wrote.

The Commissioner further wrote in the letter that advisories have already been issued by the Ministery of External Affairs to Indians currently in Ukraine and our Indian Mission in Kyiy is currently handling the matter.

“Striking note of urgency, the Government of India has recently asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital , to leave the Eastern European nation amid it’s raising tensions with Russia,” the letter reads.

Sawaikar wrote that the Goans in Ukraine are in touch with this office as they are anxious to temporarily return till the situation normalizes.

Continue Reading

Top Stories

Election Commission announces polling dates and counting days for Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 states

Published

on

On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 States, namely, Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

While briefing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra informed that the elections in the poll-bound States will commence from February 10, 2022, to March 7, 2022. Elections in the State of Uttar Pradesh will be conducted in 7 phases, followed by Manipur with 2 phases. Elections in Goa, Uttarkhand and Punjab will be conducted in a single phase.

According to the Election Commission of India, the votes will be counted on March 10, 2022. ECI informed that all physical campaigning will be ceased until January 15, 2022, in light of the rising cases of Coronavirus.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending