Thousands of students on Monday stepped into schools for the first time, after a hiatus of more than one-and-a-half years, in unusual circumstances induced due to Covid-19 health protocols.

Students of classes from 1 to 7, 10 and 12 reached the schools, which were sanitised and decorated to welcome the children across Kerala adhering to Covid protocols. The school authorities tested the temperature of students, provided sanitisers and ensured that they wore masks.

Offline classes for students in standards 8, 9 and 11 will start on November 15.

The children looked excited as some were going to school after a gap of more than 18 months while small children of class 1 and 2 were going to the school for the first time.

The school authorities welcomed the children with tiny gift packets which included books, pen, sanitisers, masks and balloons. Even teachers were excited as they could take a break from the online classes and physically talk to the children and get the feedback.

“Online classes have its own advantage but we may not get proper feedback at times. I am very much happy that the schools are now reopened and we could meet the children. We could teach them and spend time with them. However, we need to be extra careful as the pandemic is still here,” Deepa, a teacher from a school in Ernakulam said.

Meanwhile, parents are also excited as the children will be able to spend more time in schools rather than inside the four walls of the houses.

“As the mother of two children who live in an apartment, I feel that my kids need more space to spend their energy. In schools, they will be able to talk to children of their age, meet their teachers, there will be activities to keep them busy and many more. We are still worried about the pandemic,” Swapna, an Infopark employee said.

Parents are also worried about children spending time with other students especially during the COVID-19 season even as the state government has assured that all precautions have been taken in schools.

Meanwhile, State Education Minister V Sivankutty inaugurated the state-level school reopening at Cotton Hill Girls schools near here and asked the parents not to worry about sending their children to school as the government had taken all precautions.

“More than six lakh students have newly joined the public schools. The government stands with the students and their parents. There is no need for any concern with regard to the children being sent to the schools. The government has taken all necessary precautions,” Sivankutty said.

Students appeared to be excited and happy talking to their friends and classmates on their first day at school.

The schools will function in a safe manner strictly following the guidelines prepared by the Health and Education departments.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had directed the schools to implement the measures to control congestion, maintain social distancing and ensure cleanliness in classrooms and surroundings.

The preparations included cleaning and disinfecting places where children throng and strictly implementing the bio-bubble system.

School authorities have been directed to prepare mid-day meal for children and distribute them adhering to COVID protocol besides ensuring them the service of a doctor, the Education department had said.

Along with soap and sanitiser, thermal scanner to examine the body temperature of children, teachers and non-teaching staff would also be arranged in each school.

In view of the Covid spread, the state government has been imparting online education to the children in government and aided schools for the last two academic years including the ongoing one.

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