Maharashtra schools' attendance up by 65% since reopening
Photo for represetantive purpose onlyNAGPUR: Attendance in schools across Maharashtra has increased by a whopping 65% since reopening on November 23. As per data provided by the state education department, on Wednesday almost 5 lakh students attended school in districts where permission has been granted to reopen schools. This figure is likely to go higher as statistics from a few districts had not been updated in the state level database.
Education officials had always maintained that attendance will rise steadily as parents gain confidence. Amravati witnessed the sharpest rise of over 800% in attendance. Tejrao Kale, who is holding temporary charge as deputy director of education (Amravati division) said, "The rise is because of us coordinating with teachers and principals associations. They in turn were in touch with parents. Attendance was low to begin with because everybody was apprehensive. Now slowly things are getting back to normal."
Wardha district witnessed an increase in attendance by almost 500%. Collector Vivek Bhimanwar said the current situation is a result of a series of interactions with stakeholders. "We first did an online survey on reopening to which more than 24,000 parents and teachers responded. Total 82% of these wanted schools to reopen which led us to the second step," said Bhimanwar.
He then held meetings with associations representing teachers and parents. "People will work with government always when taken into confidence. We took suggestions from teachers, parents and resolved their concerns. In Wardha we have adapted a hybrid model of teaching, where physical classes are only for math and science. For other subjects it's online and/or just once a week in physical mode," said Bhimanwar.
Gadchiroli is another 'star performer' with 98.3% of its schools now reopened, highest in the state. Apart from this, Gadchiroli also witnessed a 140% rise in students attendance compared from November 23 to December 3. Education officials in the district said physical reopening is the only way kids there can learn. Dharmanand Meshram, block education officer in Bhamragarh, said, "There is no scope for online education as our children do not have access to that infrastructure. Without physical classrooms teaching, education cannot move ahead."
Education officials had always maintained that attendance will rise steadily as parents gain confidence. Amravati witnessed the sharpest rise of over 800% in attendance. Tejrao Kale, who is holding temporary charge as deputy director of education (Amravati division) said, "The rise is because of us coordinating with teachers and principals associations. They in turn were in touch with parents. Attendance was low to begin with because everybody was apprehensive. Now slowly things are getting back to normal."
Wardha district witnessed an increase in attendance by almost 500%. Collector Vivek Bhimanwar said the current situation is a result of a series of interactions with stakeholders. "We first did an online survey on reopening to which more than 24,000 parents and teachers responded. Total 82% of these wanted schools to reopen which led us to the second step," said Bhimanwar.
He then held meetings with associations representing teachers and parents. "People will work with government always when taken into confidence. We took suggestions from teachers, parents and resolved their concerns. In Wardha we have adapted a hybrid model of teaching, where physical classes are only for math and science. For other subjects it's online and/or just once a week in physical mode," said Bhimanwar.
Gadchiroli is another 'star performer' with 98.3% of its schools now reopened, highest in the state. Apart from this, Gadchiroli also witnessed a 140% rise in students attendance compared from November 23 to December 3. Education officials in the district said physical reopening is the only way kids there can learn. Dharmanand Meshram, block education officer in Bhamragarh, said, "There is no scope for online education as our children do not have access to that infrastructure. Without physical classrooms teaching, education cannot move ahead."
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