At least two of the private schools that are to reopen on Monday for classes VIII to XII have learnt that parents are wary of sending their children to attend in-person classes.
In one school, the parents of only around 20 per cent of the students expected to attend in-person classes are willing to send their children to the campus.
In another school, a number of parents of students of Class IX have pleaded with the authorities not to start offline classes now.
At least three other schools that are to resume in-person classes on Monday said they would only have offline sessions for the students expected to turn up on the campus.
The schools will close early on Monday as a mark of respect for Lata Mangeshkar.
The state government had announced that schools could resume in-person sessions for classes VIII to XII from February 3. While government and government-aided schools reopened that day, private schools are doing so over a period of time.
La Martiniere for Boys had issued consent forms that the parents of the students allowed to attend in-person classes were to send back by Friday.
Of the 1,000-odd students in classes VIII to XII, the parents of only 210 are willing to send their children to school.
“The school has taken all necessary precautions, protocols and SOPs for Covid-19 as specified by the Government. Please understand that, in spite of all these procedures and measures, the school administration cannot guarantee that the students will not be exposed and/or infected by the Covid-19 Virus,” reads a statement in the consent form.
The school will conduct hybrid classes - those who are turning up will be in class and the rest will have the lectures streamed to them.
At St James’ School, a section of parents of students of Class IX has written to the management requesting that the resumption of in-person classes be deferred.
“About 20 per cent of the Class IX parents have objected to the resumption of in-person classes,” said Terence Ireland, principal of St James’ School.
St James’ School and St Xavier’s Collegiate School will conduct practical classes for Class XII students on Monday.
Calcutta Boys' School, and Julien Day Schools in Kalyani and Ganganagar are among those that will resume in-person classes on Monday.
There will be no online classes for the students expected to report to the campus, the authorities of the three schools said.
“We have to start school and restore normality,” said Raja McGee, principal of Calcutta Boys’ School, which is calling students of Classes VIII to XII.
The Julien Day Schools are calling students of classes IX and XI for offline classes. "We don’t want to disturb the schedule of Class VIII students,” said Terence John, principal of Julien Day School, Ganganagar.