Classes for standard VI to VIII resumed after a gap of 18 months in around 60 private schools of the district including Delhi Public School, DAV Group of Schools and De Nobili Schools.

Following the state government’s permission, students attended classes and met their friends.

Though some of these schools have completely discontinued online classes following the permission to attend classes physically, several others are conducting classes in hybrid mode, both online and offline.

Over 500 government schools of the district are yet to open and are likely to open from September 24 after making necessary preparations for observing all laid SOPs.

Talking to The Telegraph Online on Monday, I.A. Raza, Vice Principal of Delhi Public School, Dhanbad said, “We have made the arrangement of alternate day classes in an odd, even system and all students having odd roll numbers were allowed to attend classes today for the first day.”

“All SOPs right from mandatory use for sanitizers for hand at the main gate besides thermal scanning at the main gate besides have been made and today altogether 202 students i.e 65% students of odd numbers of the VI to VIII attended the classes today on the first day,” said Raza and added that besides the arrangement of sanitizers at the main gate they have sanitizer arrangement at each of the floor.

Vikrant Singh, a student of Class VII of Delhi Public School Dhanbad while talking to Telegraph Online said, “I was very excited ever since we received the message from the school last week regarding the launching of the classes and felt quite happy after meeting my friends after a long gap of 18 months.”

Indrani, another student of Class VI of the same school said, “Though classes were being held online during the lockdown but offline classes have its own advantage and it inculcates the feeling of competition among students which encourages students to perform better and appreciation by the teachers during the offline classes also creates an altogether different feeling.”

Father Sebastian Puthenpura, Principal of De Nobili School, Bhuli said, “The classes opened today for VI to VIII and attendance was around 80% attendance.”

“We will decide to implement the odd-even system of alternate day arrangement for holding classes in a day or two after finding attendance patterns as we have spacious classrooms and will take the decision as per attendance pattern,” said Puthenpura.

Indra Bhushan Singh, District Superintendent of Education said “We have provided the SOPs to all the schools on Saturday itself and will ensure strict observance of laid norms,” and added that vaccination of teachers have also been carried out to ensure safety.

S.K. Sinha, a parent of a Class VI student of Delhi Public School, “Thought initially we were quite hesitant due to safety concerns but when I went to school today to drop my son I got satisfied with the strict arrangement for observing all rules at the school.”