According to the central government’s guidelines for Unlock 1.0, children below the age of 10 have been advised to remain indoors as they are more susceptible to getting infected. It is to be decided in July after consultation whether schools and colleges will be reopened.
However, the news didn’t sit well with Indian parents who believe that sending their kids to school will only increase their chances of getting infected.
According to News18, a group called ‘Parents Association’ started an online petition demanding the government to keep schools shut till the country doesn’t have a single coronavirus case or till vaccines are out.
The petition has more than 3 lakh signatures and counting.
“Opening of schools in July will be the worst decision by the Govt. It’s insane. It’s like playing with fire when we ought to douse it with full force. The parents should fight against this stupidity with tooth and nail, not a single child to be sent to the schools for their own safety,” the petition read.
The parents petitioned that schools should continue classes virtually for the rest of the academic year.
“If the schools claim that they are doing a good job via virtual learning then why not continue it for the rest of the academic year.”
Till now, classes have been held online via video conferences. Exams have either been postponed or cancelled. After deciding on the date of reopening of educational institutes, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will is to prepare ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ for the institutes. This has been the plan.
However, the concern lies in a large number of students getting packed inside the 4 walls of a classroom for a considerable amount of time at a time when social distancing is most crucial.
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Cover: Source.