How long can a teenager wear a mask? When will she or he be inclined to pull it down? How effectively can teachers monitor the students and prevent them from hugging each other when they meet at school after months?
School authorities are grappling with questions such as these and many more in the run-up to the resumption of in-person classes.
The state government has allowed schools run or aided by it to reopen for Classes IX to XII from November 16.
The government on Thursday issued guidelines that schools have to follow but there are some practical problems and challenges that teachers are wary of.
One of the main worries is the fact that the students are not vaccinated, the heads of many schools said.
The Telegraph spoke to a number of school heads and other teachers about the challenges they are anticipating.
Mask down
Teachers are unsure how long students will keep their masks on before fidgeting with or pulling them down.
“Children are expected to wear masks throughout. It will be a challenge to supervise that in real time every day because children in their excitability and impulsiveness might want to pull them down,” said Anjana Saha, principal, Mahadevi Birla World Academy.
Doctors, too, said that it would be tough for a 14- or 15-year-old to keep wearing masks continuously for long periods because they are not used to it.
“Children have not stepped out as adults have and they are not used to the idea of having a mask on at all times. Hence, compliance might be difficult at that age,” said physician Chandramouli Bhattacharya.
Schools believe teachers might have to give leeway to students depending on the situation because there can be occasions when a student “feels uncomfortable or claustrophobic with a mask”.
“The guidelines are comprehensive but teachers will have to think on their feet to deal with some situations that can arise in school,” said Sharmila Bose, director of Sushila Birla Girls’ School.
For teachers, too, delivering lectures with masks on can be inconvenient but they are more used to wearing masks than children, doctors said.
“It might be uncomfortable for teachers to wear masks and deliver lectures continuously. So we might think of ways to increase the gap between the students and the teacher,” said Meena Kak, director of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy.
Hugging and high five
Several heads anticipate that there would be a tendency among students to hug each other since they are meeting after such a long time.
“They will spontaneously hug each other or do a high five,” said Reeta Chatterjee, director of North Point Senior Secondary Boarding Schools.
Teachers will have to constantly be on their toes to ensure that the students do not come close to each other.
“But the challenge is how long will teachers be able to monitor the students? They will need breaks and will go to the staff room,” said Chatterjee.
Home to school
School heads also said it would be a challenge for students to get back into the school routine after such a long time.
They have been used to half-done hair, mute calls and taking breaks in between classes.
“To get them used to a school routine again, students will have to be given breaks and shorter periods when they eventually return to school. But to monitor their movements and to ensure they maintain a distance among themselves, the breaks have to be in class,” said Aruna Gomes, principal of Loreto House.
“Schools will have to be open to adjustments,” said Bose, of Sushila Birla Girls' School.
Chatterjee said teachers, too, would have to be weaned off home mode and get used to the school routine.
“They have become used to switching off the gas oven or completing their household chores in between classes. That will stop now,” Chatterjee said.