4.7 million students return to classrooms in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Around 4.7 million children returned to their classrooms in Kerala on Monday as the schools reopened at full strength after almost two years in the wake of Covid-19.

Incidentally, schools in the state last worked in full strength in the third week of March in 2020.

On Monday morning, State Education Minister V.Sivankutty visited a state-run school and said the students were so excited to return to schools.

"Their happiness was palpable and said they do not wish to sit at home again. We have made all the required arrangements for smooth functioning of the schools which includes providing noon meals also," said Sivankutty.

He said around 1.91 lakh teachers and close to 30,000 non-teaching staff would have returned to the school campuses.

"The only difference between schools functioning at full strength almost two years back and today is we can't see our friends' faces fully as all are masked. We now are sad that schools again will close after a few weeks as this academic year is about end," said a group of girls at a school in Kochi.

At a lower primary school in Tirur in Malappuram district, the students, however, were in for a rude shock when they were turned back as the roof tiles of their school had collapsed.

"We are sad as we came with a lot of expectations to continue our studies sitting in the classrooms. Now we are told, it will take a while and we are definitely sad," said the students.

Meanwhile, for the time being students are allowed to take the call to wear uniforms or not and attendance also is not compulsory.

All the students have been advised to get an additional mask, one for the forenoon session and the other one for the afternoon session.

Source: IANS