End of open-air classes in Kolkata parks brings relief to parents

Many parents are happy with the resumption of in-person classes at the primary and middle school levels from Wednesday because their children will no longer have to attend classes in the open, exposed to the sun and rain.

Open-air classes for students from the pre-primary level to Class VII of government and aided schools, which were being held as part of the Paray Shikshalay project, ended on Tuesday.

Shibani Saha, mother of a Class VII student, was relieved that classes will be held in school from Wednesday. Her son Soumayjeet, a student of Kalidhan Institution, was attending classes on the boulevard of Southern Avenue, which does not have any shade.

“In the first three days, the students had to endure the afternoon sun. On Thursday, classes had to be suspended because of a drizzle,” said Saha, a resident of Chetla in southwest Kolkata.

“The teachers contacted a decorator to erect a tarpaulin shade but had to back out as the cost was too much for them.”

Open-air classes

On February 8, classes at the Bagbazar Sarbojanin Puja ground had to be abandoned an hour after the start after a child threw up, apparently because of heat.

Classes were being held on a marbled floor that did not have any shade.

Kanak Adhikary, whose son, too, is a student of Kalidhan Institution, said they had to wait through the classes, concerned about the safety of the children.

“There was no toilet on the boulevard. Students had to cross a flank of the busy Southern Avenue to use the toilet of Kalidhan Institution. We would wait while the classes were on so our wards could cross the road under our watch,” said Adhikary.

Utsuk Poddar, a Class V student of Hindi Vidyalaya who was attending classes on the cemented lawn of Shastriji Harijan Vidyamandir, on Palmer Bazar Road, said: “We are happy that classes will again be held in school.”

Once classes shift back to school, the parents could leave for home or work after dropping their children and come back later to pick them up.