Entities such as UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, and even the India Task Force of the Lancet COVID-19 Commission have come out with their detailed recommendations in this regard to guide school reopening efforts while minimizing the risk of infection. The Centre and the state governments in India have been preferring the easy route to keep the shutters of the schools down. It saves them from ensuring appropriate arrangements in the schools and for the students.

The parents and guardians on the other hand know their governments and the school administrations which they suspect lacking in performance and going back from their commitments. They feel their children many not be safe in schools, which the school administrations and the governments are not able to win their confidence to send them to schools. It was in this context, many examinations could not be held, and students were promoted to higher classes without any final tests.

The second wave of COVID-19 in India is by and large under control, but there is a prediction of the third wave that may strike in August end and rise to its peak in September 2021. It is in this backdrop the Centre has absolved it responsibility to take decision to open schools or higher educational institutions and put it on the state governments. It may well be a politics to shift accountability on the states, especially for making proper safety arrangements in the schools. However, the state governments are also doing the same thing. They don’t seem to take accountability on their head, which they are trying to shift on parents, teachers, schools, and principals.

We can take the example of NCT Delhi. After the new law the Government of Delhi means the LG of Delhi, who is the Centre’s appointee, though it has also a properly elected government. In a sense, NCT Delhi is governed by both the Centre and the state government, but they have not be able to reopen schools and other higher educational institutions, because they are yet to put the safety measures in place. The government of NCT Delhi has said many schools are willing to open with safety measures in place, but some parents are hesitant. The Deputy Chief Minister has sought suggestion from parents, students, teachers, and principals on whether schools and colleges should reopen and in what manner. Similar is the case across the country in all states.

Asking for the manner of reopening the schools and higher educational institutions from the lay parents, students, teachers, and principals is a matter of surprise. The manner of opening has already been laid down in several recommendations of experts and their committees both nationally and internationally. How a lay man’s suggestion is important at this stage. Their suggestions may acquire importance only at specific local levels for which there are schools and parents associations. Governments and schools should first come out with their specific safety measures before seeking suggestions from other interested parties.

It should be kept in mind that reopening school is necessary for several reasons. Online classes are not that much beneficial as is supposed by many because of the digital divide among the rich and the poor students is too high to bridge in near future. The students from the poor families and those who live in the areas having very poor internet and electricity connectivity have not been able to access the online classes, despite the boastful statements of the government about having made arrangements for online classes. Another most peculiar problem is faced by the students of the households in which even adults do not know how to handle the computer or mobile sets for online classes even if they somehow purchased them. Many of the students even now do not have access to any such electronic device due to poverty. Government has also failed to provide such gadgets to them, or many cannot even bear the cost of the internet connections.

The situation has become worse in the last 16 months of school closure. We cannot afford to lose a generation. A recent study by the Azim Premji University has estimated that 92 per cent of children between class 2 and 6 have lost their language skills and 82 per cent have lost their math skills. It should serve as example of the loss due to closure of schools. Almost all studies have suggested that millions of students would not be able to return to schools at all. Due to closure of schools mid-day meal has also been stopped which is causing malnutrition among millions needful. Loss of education and nutrition at this foundational stage has reached to alarming level. That is why reopening for lower classes should be the first priority. Reopening of higher classes up to 12 should be the second priority. Since the students of upper classes are 18+, they can be allowed in the physical classes with vaccination and safety measures such as masks and proper physical distancing.

Though education is a state subject we cannot shift the full accountability to them. The Centre must appoint a high powered committee to look into all the issues relating to reopening schools and other educational institutions and to provide technical and financial assistance prior to or post reopening. We may also need to devise new ways and means to enable students to cover up their educational loss for which special teachers training programmes will also be required. (IPA Service)