Goa: Net issues force rural schools to restart classes

PANAJI: Even as the government still debates whether schools should reopen for students from Classes I to VIII, managements of some rural schools — impatient with poor internet connectivity and lack of devices — sought special permission from the government, got their parent teacher associations’ (PTA) nods, and got going with offline sessions for younger students.
For some schools, the return to physical classes began as early as September. In Canacona, the Shree Nirakar Education Society runs five schools, with a combined strength of 1,000 students. Soon after the Ganesh Chaturthi vacation ended, the management started conducting physical classes for students from Class V to VIII on alternate days.
“We will be opening our schools in Mashem and Gaondongri right from the primary section from November 22,” said the society’s head, Prashant Naik. “We have been running classes from Class V to VIII, and we have not had any problems. The positivity rate is presently down in the state. CM should now say ‘bivpachi garaz na’ and open schools.”
In Bicholim, the Vidyavardhak Mandal Educational Society had similarly started conducting physical classes for students of Classes VII and VIII on alternate days from October. Society chairman Vijay Sardesai said that they are now looking to reopen schools right from Class I from Monday.
“Some of our students did not have mobile phones, and we provided them with phones through sponsors. How many can we provide with devices? We have 4,300-4,500 students studying in our four institutions from Classes I to XII. A majority of them come from interior areas, and do not have internet connectivity to attend online classes,” said Sardesai. He said that the school is presently seeing attendance of 95%.
Insistence and support from parents was a driving force for the schools. Even in the case of Classes X to XII, the society was the first to start physical sessions with special permission, even before the state could give its nod to all schools.
“The parents told us that their children are facing difficulties. So we held a meeting, and parents gave us the green signal to start classes. We started by following all SOPs. Parents are very happy with the way we are conducting classes. We have formed a team to monitor students for symptoms,” said Sardesai.
The management even saw a visit from the state task force to check the functioning of physical classes in its schools.
“In Class XII itself, we have 700 students, so we sat them in classrooms at 50% capacity. We have the infrastructure for it. We have already started sanitising the premises to start classes from the primary level,” Sardesai said.
Many low-enrolment schools in rural areas like Sarvan, Karapur, Pilgao, Maulinguem, Kuchirem in Bicholim taluka have also started conducting physical classes, to assist students dealing with poor connectivity.
“The last academic year 2019-20 was lost due to Covid, and students were lagging behind,” said Tukaram Sawant from Sarvan, Bicholim, the parent of two children studying in Classes VII and VIII. “So the school authorities called a meeting of parents and it was discussed that if the schools have low enrolment, there should be no issue of social distancing. The decision turned out to be successful. It tremendously benefited the students, after such a prolonged break from school.”