Most parents don’t want schools to begin until April: Survey

Nearly 70% parents who responded to a nationwide survey said they prefer schools in their respective states to reopen only post April in light of Covid-19 and the resultant lockdown.

The survey was conducted by Local Circles, a Delhi-based community social media platform with responses from 19,000 parents across 224 districts in the country – 58% parents from Tier 1 districts, 21% Tier 2 districts and 21% Tier 3, Tier 4 and rural districts of India. In Maharashtra, more than 2000 parents responded to the survey of which about 52% said they want schools in the state only to begin in April 2021. Of these, 1325 parents were from Mumbai.

In September 2020, Local Circles had conducted a similar survey wherein only about 34% parents had said that schools should begin from April 2021. Over these months, the number of parents who think that way thus seems to have substantially increased. “Majority parents are not willing to send children to school even now due to the risk involved. Some parents of students in Class 10 and 12 might send them as they have to prepare for board exams,” said Anubha Sahai, president of the Indiawide Parents Association.

Parents were also asked about whether they would consider giving he Covid-19 vaccine to their child after it is rolled out for school children. Only 26% said that they would approve of it while 56% parents said that they will wait for 3 months or more to see the data and findings and then make a decision.

In Maharashtra, as on December 14, over 10 lakh students were attending schools every day while more than 15,000 schools have reopened in the state for Classes 9 to 12 since November 23. The administration of Pune will be reopening the schools in the city for Class 9 to 12 from January 4, as per the Pune Municipal Corporation. In Delhi, education minister Manish Sisodia said that schools are likely to reopen only post July 2021 after children are vaccinated.

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