Unlock 5.0: 71% of parents unwilling to send children to schools in October

The Centre might have allowed states to decide on re-opening educational institutions from October 15 but a survey conducted recently claimed that 71% of parents were unwilling to send children to schools.

The survey by LocalCircles also claimed that only 28% of parents are in favour of re-opening of schools this year while 34% feel that schools should open only in the next academic year.

The survey conducted last month covered 14,500 parents located in around 217 districts of the country.

To a question on whether they would send their children if schools are reopened in October, 71% responded in the negative while only 20% said ‘yes’. Nine per cent were unsure about it.

In an August survey, 23% had said they would send their children to schools during the pandemic, which showed that there was a three percentage point drop within a month.

Asked about their position on reopening schools keeping in mind the upcoming festive season and Covid-19 case load, 34% felt that schools should not open schools till March/April 2021. Seven per cent people said schools should open from October 1 while 12% said schools should open from November 1 and 9% were of the view that schools should open from December 1.

"This means that only 28% parents are in favour of schools reopening in calendar year 2020 i.e., before December 31st, 2020, while 34% feel they should open only in the next academic year i.e., April 2021," the survey said.

In its new guidelines issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs left it to the states to decide on reopening schools and coaching institutions after October 15 in a graded manner. However, schools should not enforce attendance and children should be allowed only after obtaining written consent from parents.

The guidelines emphasised that online and distance learning should be encouraged and students who prefer to attend online classes in schools should be permitted to do so.

A decision on reopening of colleges and higher education institutes has been left to the Department of Higher Education (DHE) in the Ministry of Education but after a consultation with the MHA.

However, higher education institutions only for research scholars (PhD) and post-graduate students in science and technology streams requiring laboratory/experimental works will be permitted to open October 15.