Schools putting life of kids at risk by conducting elementary classes in Mahendragarh

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Mahendragarh, October 21

Private schools are putting the life of children at risk by conducting elementary classes in violation of COVID-19 guidelines. The education officials found such a local school conducting a class of 2nd standard wherein more than 25 children were present.

The violation of guidelines came to the fore when the officials raided the school on Tuesday while acting on the complaints in this respect.

Sources said this was not a single school in the district but several others in Narnaul, Nangal Choudhary, Ateli and Kanina blocks had been conducting regular elementary classes while as per the guidelines, only students of 9th to 12th classes can come to the school for clearing their doubts.

Even there is no order of holding regular classes of these students as well.

Interestingly, the situation has put those schools in trouble which are not conducting elementary classes as parents are mounting pressure on them for organising the classes like other schools.   

“Parents are persistently demanding me to hold elementary classes. Even, some of them have also threatened to shift their children to other schools if the classes are not conducted but I am a law-abiding citizen. Even I have appealed to other schools not to conduct the classes in violation of guidelines,” said Anil Kaushik, president, Progressive Private School Association, Narnaul.

Ashok Sharma, Block Education Officer, confirmed a private school was found holding elementary classes. “We have put the school on notice for violating the Covid guidelines. Three others have also been served notice for not maintaining social distancing in the classes,” he added.

Sunil Dutt, District Education Officer, said he raided four schools in Narnaul yesterday on getting complaints that some private schools were conducting classes below the 9th standard but the complaints were not found true.   

“As per orders, no school is allowed to conduct regular classes but students of 9th to 12th standard can come to the school for clearing their doubts,” he added.