In 2020, most students took classes online due to the pandemic. Parents agreed that it was a necessary precaution, but they also believed that learning through screens was not ideal. Many revealed that their kids were bored easily, didn’t get to interact with classmates, share lunches, or go to the playground, all of which is necessary for holistic education.
In 2021, offline classes slowly began in certain states. According to News18, the Maharashtra government permitted the reopening of schools for classes 9 to 12 in November and for classes 5 to 8 in January.
And Symbiosis School, Prabhat Road, Pune, welcomed pupils of Class 5 and 6 on February 10 with the beats of dhol and the staff putting on a Lezim performance which is a folk dance from Maharashtra. Check it out.
Today we welcomed our students of 5th & 6th stnd. at our Prabhat Road school with a heartwarming performance by teachers to the rhythm of dhol and lezim…following all norms of social distancing. We also gave them a red carpet welcome & bookmarks! @EduMinOfIndia @educationweek pic.twitter.com/xaL7mbaGVL
— Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar (@vidya_symbiosis) February 11, 2021
The Indian Express quoted Dr.Vidya Yeravdekar, principal director, Symbiosis Society saying,
“The Covid-19 pandemic forced students to miss school for months and the excitement is so palpable now. In teachers, parents and the students. Everyone is overjoyed. We wanted to celebrate this moment, it means something to all of us.”
With social distancing, face masks, and sanitizers, school is going to look a little different this year but the excitement of both teachers and students meeting physically after so long is definitely palpable.