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The dawn-to-dusk Congress bandh left students, especially those studying in junior sections, disappointed as most schools of the state capital had to cancel Teachers’ Day functions.
Although the occasion will be celebrated on Wednesday, many CBSE and ICSE-affiliated cradles had scheduled the programmes on Tuesday. Some of these schools were junior sections of St Xavier’s, Loreto Convent and Bishop School, Bahu Bazar, among others.
Principal of St Xavier’s School Father Ajit Xess termed the bandh, called in protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, “insignificant” as it does not offer any practical solution.
“For me, the sentiments of the little children, who had been preparing for today’s (Tuesday) Teachers’ day celebrations for months, matter the most. The bandh poured cold water on their plans and spoilt the festive mood,” he added.
The authorities of Bishop School, Bahu Bazar, made similar complaints.
“Our small girls were so enthusiastic yesterday (Monday) while practising welcome songs for Tuesday’s function. But at the last moment, we had to cancel the programme as we had to shut the school in view of the bandh,” rued one of the officials of the school.
The parents were no less peeved and called the shutdown “unlawful”.
“My five-year-old daughter Mahima, a prep student of Loreto Convent, kept asking me when she would go to school to gift flowers to her teachers. I was unable to explain the situation to her,” said Manisha Lal, a resident of Bariatu.
The students of junior sections (Kg to Class II) of CBSE-affiliated Kairali School were luckier though. They were able to take part in the Teachers’ Day programmes on Tuesday as the management decided to keep the cradle open. “We did not face any problem,” said principal Rajan Verghese.
Many schools have decided to celebrate the occasion on Wednesday.
“We will host the Teachers’ Day function tomorrow (Wednesday) for both junior and senior wings, but then it’s true that academics will suffer. We will remain open on Saturday to make up for loss of time,” said principal of Surendranath Centenary School, Samita Sinha.
DPS, Ranchi, is also doing the same. “The students look forward to the occasion,” said principal J. Mohanty.
This is the fourth time in the past two months that schools had to bear the brunt of bandhs. Earlier, the cradles had to be shut down at least three times — once in July and twice in August.
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