Several private schools in the city that had given parents the choice of whether or not to send their children to school recorded low attendance as in-person classes resumed on Tuesday.
On some campuses, the attendance was as low as 5 per cent, while some had 50 per cent.
At La Martiniere for Boys, about 100 students from classes IX and XI turned up on the first day. The total strength of the two classes is 475.
In Calcutta Girls’ High School, the attendance in Class IX varied between 40 and 50 per cent. The attendance was slightly better in Class XI.
At The Newtown School, not more than five to eight students in a section of around 40 came to school. At Indus Valley World School, about 40 per cent turned up.
“We had sent a consent form to parents and almost the same number of those who had given consent turned up at school. If the number of students opting to come to school goes up, we will split the class, else, it will continue like this,” said John Stephen, acting principal, La Martiniere for Boys.
“The numbers on Tuesday varied from none to 19 in each section,” said an official of La Martiniere for Boys.
Several CBSE schools like South Point, Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Mahadevi Birla World Academy and Shri Shikshayatan School reopened only to conduct the board exams that began on Tuesday for “minor subjects”. All students turned up for the exam.
Schools like Don Bosco Park Circus, Sushila Birla Girls’ School, Delhi Public School New Town and South City International School recorded over 95 per cent attendance.
Schools like St James’ School, St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Loreto House and Loreto Convent Entally are yet to reopen their campuses.
Across schools, parents are wary of sending their children to campus because they are not vaccinated.
“Since online classes are continuing simultaneously, parents do not want to take the risk. We also want to give that comfort to parents because many of them, understandably, are not getting the confidence to send the children,” said Satabdi Bhattacharjee, principal, The Newtown School.
Private schools where students have got used to online classes are also in no rush to bring in children but will do so gradually.
“The acclimatization has to happen not just with the school environment but with Metro, buses or any other transport that students use to commute,” said Bratati Bhattacharyya, secretary general, Shri Shikshayatan School.
Pictures by Bishwarup Dutta and Sanat Kr Sinha