Chatra: A private school in the tribal-dominated Chatra district is being investigated for holding physical classes in violation of the state government’s lockdown norms, which has not allowed educational institutes to reopen in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The district authorities launched a probe after receiving complaints from locals that Nazareth Vidya Niketan School was calling its 400 students for daily classes on the campus.
Chatra SDO Mumtaz Ansari, “I have asked the sadar block development officer and the district education officer to investigate the matter and submit a report. All educational institutions are closed since March to keep students safe from infection. If the school is found guilty, action will be taken under the Disaster Management Act.”
Sources said the school was calling students from Class VI to X from 9am to 1pm without uniform, which, officials said, was an attempt to ensure that no one suspected the school of violatingthe lockdown norms. However, a few locals complained that students coming to school neither wore masks nor followed anti-Covid protocols like social distancing and accused the school management of putting the children at risk.
When contacted, the school management said only those students unable to join online classes were called for classes. “We are calling students of Class VII and VIII on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Students of Class IX and X are coming in on Friday and Saturday. This is done only to complete the syllabus,” said principal Marry Grais, stressing that they called students to school from December 1 in a staggered manner.
“Only one student is allowed to sit on one bench and we are strictly following the roster,” she added. The school, run by Christian missionaries, was set up in Chatra in late 1960s.