Just 7% attendance in few government schools

CHANDIGARH: The panic created from the storm warning kept more than 66% students studying in city’s government schools home on Tuesday.


While the attendance was between 50% and 80% on Monday, it dropped to an average of 34% on Tuesday, education department officials said. There were schools with attendance as low as 7% and this even as the Chandigarh meteorological department had clarified there was no danger from the storm.

Schools, which had more than 60% attendance on Monday, recorded around 14% attendance. While 773 students out of 1,279 (60%) were present in Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 8, on Monday, the attendance dropped to around 15% on Tuesday. Similarly, it was 34% in Government Girls Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 18, which drew 755 out of 1,123 (67.2%) students on Monday. In GMSSS, Kaimbwala, the attendance dropped from 73.43% to 40.33%.

Arvind Rana, a government school teacher and president, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers Welfare Association, said, “The only reason was the fear of storm. News of closing of private schools in Chandigarh and schools in Haryana stopped children from coming to school.”

Swarn Singh Kamboj, another teacher and president, UT Cadre Educational Employees Union, said, “Schools closed at 12 noon and many parents were not aware about this, which created a little trouble. As there was a storm in the night and a forecast was made for Tuesday, parents decided not to send children to schools.” Rana said there was a need for education department to start an online service in which parents can be informed over phone about emergency situations.

Government High School, Sector 19, had just 7.44% attendance, which was 52.6% on Monday. Similarly, only 144 out of 550 students came to Government Model High School, Sector 7, on Tuesday, registering a percentage of 26.18%, a major drop from Monday’s recorded 57.81%. In GMSSS, Sector 19, 1,038 out of 1,800 (57.66%) students were present on Monday, while the attendance dropped to 28.11% on Tuesday.