UP: Primary classes begin with little attendance

Lucknow, Sep 1

Students of classes 1-5 in Uttar Pradesh returned to schools when they reopened on Wednesday after being closed since the imposition of the first lockdown last year due to COVID-19 in the country.

Classes from 9 to 12 and 6 to 8 were started from August 16 and August 24 respectively.

"Best wishes to students. The schools are reopening from today. All teachers are requested to take care of students and follow Covid protocol," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in a tweet in Hindi.  

Despite receding Covid cases, attendance was found to be very low in some of the schools.

"Only students whose parents have filled the consent form were allowed to come. In some classes with strength of over 50 students, only one or two parents have given consent. Online classes are continuing as per schedule as parents are apprehensive about safety of their wards due to COVID-19," a teacher of the St Francis College told PTI here.

Classes started in two shifts of three hours -- from 8 am to 11.00 am and from 11.30 am to 3:30 pm -- with 50 per cent students of a class in each shift.

Some schools decorated entry gates with balloons to welcome the returning students.

"It's good that school is reopening. I will meet my friends after a long gap," Harsh, a class 3 student of a private school, said.

His mother Megha, however appeared apprehensive and said that she will immediately stop sending her son if she sees cases of COVID-19 rise again. PTI

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