A majority of private schools in Bokaro have planned to resume physical classes from the next session beginning probably by March-end or from the first week of April owing to their online annual examinations in spite of the government's directive to resume classes for students above Class 8 from Monday.

However, among about 600 government schools that resumed classes 8 and above, the institutions situated in urban areas registered comparatively lower attendance than those in the rural areas. The fear of resurgence in Covid-19 cases also made parents keep their wards at home rather than sending them to schools.

District education officer (DEO), Neelam Ileen Toppo said, “There are 1560 government schools in the district. Physical classes amid safety protocols began in 105 high schools and about 500 middle schools. The attendance of students was not satisfactory especially in the urban areas.

"The strength of the students in the rural areas was recorded at about 50 percent on the first day, while the government schools operational in towns registered 20 percent attendance. Attendance will improve in coming few days,” Toppo said

The teachers in almost all the government schools before beginning the class sensitised students to wear masks and maintain physical distance to be safe from the virus. The school management sanitized the school premises and classrooms.

Majority of private schools like Delhi Public School, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Pentecostal Assembly School, Ayyappa Public School, and others didn’t have students on the campus on Tuesday as their online examinations are taking place.

DPS principal A S Gangwar who is also CBSE coordinator said, “Like other private schools, their online examinations are also going on. The physical classes for above class 8 will begin once the examinations are over.”

Pentecostal Assembly School has also decided to conduct examination from the next academic session beginning from the last week of March.

Secretary of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Mahesh Tripathi said, We are conducting an online annual examination that will get over on March 12. The offline classes will start after the results are declared.”