Teachers test Covid positive, Calcutta schools struggle

Substitute tutors are being assigned or other mentors are sharing the correction load for those who are unwell

In most cases, teachers themselves are infected, while some are busy taking care of Covid patients at home.: Shutterstock

Jhinuk Mazumdar   |   TT  | Calcutta   |  24.04.21: Several schools are struggling to hold classes and having to make adjustments after a number of teachers have been infected with the coronavirus, principals said.

At a few schools, some classes have been suspended or temporarily cancelled. The classes will be rescheduled once the teachers recover. Several schools are assigning substitute teachers and combining sections. At some, teachers are sharing the correction load for those who are unwell.

In most cases, teachers themselves are infected, while some are busy taking care of Covid patients at home.

“We are suspending classes if teachers are unable to take class. Even when teachers are recovering, they are weak... We don’t want to pressurise them,” said Basanti Biswas, principal, Calcutta Girls’ High School.

“They also have to run the household and take care of members (if a family member is infected). We do not like classes to be missed but we have to understand that it is not physically possible for teachers (to take classes in such a situation),” Biswas said.

Several heads said they could manage the situation because classes were being held online. However, at some institutions as many as 10 to 15 teachers have been infected, making it difficult for the heads to manage. “I do not recall an instance when about 10 per cent of our teachers had to take leave simultaneously. We are having to make adjustments,” said Sharmila Bose, director, Sushila Birla Girls’ School.

At some schools like Indus Valley World School and Sri Sri Academy, classes are being rescheduled. “For a few of the senior sections, we are having to suspend classes and will reschedule them when the teachers are back,” said Amita Prasad, director, Indus Valley.

At South Point, Delhi Public School New Town, Sri Sri Academy, St Augustine’s Day School, Calcutta, Indus Valley and North Point Senior Secondary schools, teachers are substituting for their colleagues or classes are being combined.

“We have shadow teachers taking class in the absence of subject teachers. But the subject teachers will have to redo the portions when they are back,” said Rita Chatterjee, director, North Point Senior Secondary Schools.

At Modern High and Loreto Convent Entally, students are being given offline work.

“A percentage of our children are from families who are struggling with the data pack. So, in case a teacher is unable to take classes, worksheets are assigned to students, which they have to submit within a period. We do not want to assign a substitute teacher because in that case the flow of studies won't be the same,” said Jessica Gomes Surana, principal, Loreto Convent Entally.