News Analysis India

Tag: Schools

  • Exams, results major cause of anxiety among school students: NCERT survey

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: While studies, examinations and results are major causes of anxiety among school students, over 33 per cent comply with peer pressure most of the time, a survey on mental health and well-being of students by NCERT said.

    The survey reported that at least 73 per cent students are satisfied with their school life, while over 45 per cent students are not satisfied with their body image.

    The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) surveyed over 3.79 lakh students from 36 states and UTs.

    The Manodarpan Cell of the NCERT undertook the task of conducting the survey to help understand the perceptions of school students on aspects related to their mental health and well-being. It collected information from students across gender and grades — middle state (6-8) and secondary stage (9 to 12) between January to March 2022.

    Anonymity of participants was ensured by making the name column optional, allowing students the comfort, privacy and independence to respond, the NCERT said, “Decline in satisfaction with personal and school life is seen as students shift from middle to secondary stage.”

    “The secondary stage is marked by challenges of an identity crisis, increased sensitivity towards relationships, peer pressure, fear of board examination, anxiety and uncertainty experienced by students for their future admissions, career etc,” the survey report released on Tuesday said.

    The survey found that 81 per cent of respondents attribute studies, exams and results as major causes of anxiety.

    As many as 43 percent of the total respondents admitted being able to quickly adapt to changes and response of students at middle stage (46 per cent) was higher than students at secondary stage (41 percent).

    A total of 51 per cent of students face difficulty in learning online while 28 per cent of the respondents students are hesitant in asking questions, as per the survey.

    It found that “yoga and meditation, attempts to shift the way they think and writing journals were reported as frequently adopted strategies by students for coping with stress”.

    NEW DELHI: While studies, examinations and results are major causes of anxiety among school students, over 33 per cent comply with peer pressure most of the time, a survey on mental health and well-being of students by NCERT said.

    The survey reported that at least 73 per cent students are satisfied with their school life, while over 45 per cent students are not satisfied with their body image.

    The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) surveyed over 3.79 lakh students from 36 states and UTs.

    The Manodarpan Cell of the NCERT undertook the task of conducting the survey to help understand the perceptions of school students on aspects related to their mental health and well-being. It collected information from students across gender and grades — middle state (6-8) and secondary stage (9 to 12) between January to March 2022.

    Anonymity of participants was ensured by making the name column optional, allowing students the comfort, privacy and independence to respond, the NCERT said, “Decline in satisfaction with personal and school life is seen as students shift from middle to secondary stage.”

    “The secondary stage is marked by challenges of an identity crisis, increased sensitivity towards relationships, peer pressure, fear of board examination, anxiety and uncertainty experienced by students for their future admissions, career etc,” the survey report released on Tuesday said.

    The survey found that 81 per cent of respondents attribute studies, exams and results as major causes of anxiety.

    As many as 43 percent of the total respondents admitted being able to quickly adapt to changes and response of students at middle stage (46 per cent) was higher than students at secondary stage (41 percent).

    A total of 51 per cent of students face difficulty in learning online while 28 per cent of the respondents students are hesitant in asking questions, as per the survey.

    It found that “yoga and meditation, attempts to shift the way they think and writing journals were reported as frequently adopted strategies by students for coping with stress”.

  • Flash floods, landslides as heavy rains, snowfall lash Jammu-Kashmir

    By PTI

    JAMMU/ SRINAGAR: Heavy rains lashed Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, triggering flash floods and landslides, with authorities forced to shut schools in several districts including Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban and evacuate people from low-lying areas, while the strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained blocked for the second day leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.

    In Kashmir, the Jhelum crossed the danger mark at Sangam in Anantnag district and the water level was rising in other rivers also, officials said. A high alert has been sounded in areas close to river Chenab and its tributaries, they said.

    Snowfall in the higher reaches including the holy cave shrine of Amarnath has brought down the day temperature substantially, the officials said. Police rescued 50 passengers travelling in ten vehicles which were trapped due to snowfall and heavy rains in the high-altitude area in Kishtwar district on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

    ”Snowfall and heavy rains triggered flash-floods in Simthan top area following which 50 passengers including some women and children, were stranded.

    The police got the track cleared and after a lot of hard work rescued all the passengers, an official said. The water level at Sangam in Anantnag district was measured at 21.60 ft, marginally above the 21-feet mark for flood declaration, they said.

    Vaishov stream, which flows mainly through Kulgam district, was flowing dangerously above the flood alert mark. However, the water level has started receding since 10 am, the officials said.

    A breach was reported in a temporary diversion along the banks of Vaishov stream as Chamgund in Kulgam, they said adding many areas of the district have been flooded. Authorities have started moving people from low-lying areas to safer locations, they said.

    The Doodhganga stream was also flowing close to flood alarm level at Barzulla in the heart of Srinagar’s civil lines area. The weatherman had forecast improvement in weather later in the day. Schools in many parts of the valley were closed due to the heavy rains which resulted in waterlogging in low-lying areas.

    Many houses in Bemina, Rambagh and Rajbagh areas of the city were affected due to water-logging. A group of 14 trekkers was stranded near Tarser Lake in south Kashmir and a rescue team was rushed to the spot from Pahalgam.

    The snowfall in the upper reaches and rains in the plains have sent the mercury nosediving and Srinagar witnessed its coldest June day in almost 50 years, according to available data. Srinagar on Tuesday recorded a maximum temperature of 15.0 degrees Celsius, which was 14.2 degrees lower than normal for this time of the year.

    An incident of house collapse was also reported from Ramban district, while five people trapped in flash floods in river Ans in Reasi district were rescued by the police, officials said. The Doda district administration has declared high alert in several areas in the mountainous district.

    “We have been forced to declare high alert in areas close to river Chenab and its tributaries, and also on slopes and slide-prone areas of Ramban and Doda districts,” an official said.

    The 270-kilometers Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for a second consecutive day on Wednesday due to over 30 landslides and mudslides triggered by the heavy rains in the Ramban-Udhampur sector, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, officials said.

    ALSO READ | Climate change a factor in ‘unprecedented’ South Asia floods, says Scientists

    The traffic on Mughal Road, an alternative link connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district, was also suspended due to landslides en route, they said.

    Besides Doda, the deputy commissioners of Ramban and Kishtwar districts have also ordered the closure of all educational institutions up to higher secondary level including private schools for the day, an official said.

    “All schools across Ramban district, including higher secondary schools, shall remain closed today in view of the heavy rainfall and overflowing of nallahs and mudslides at several locations,” Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mussarat Islam said in a tweet. Officials said one kutcha house in Dachhan collapsed but all its occupants were safe.

    “As a part of advisory in view of hostile weather conditions and reports submitted by tehsildars, I have directed CEO Kishtwar to close all educational institutions in District Kishtwar today. We will assess the situation later in the day for further decision,” said District Development Commissioner Kishtwar Ashok Sharma.

    “As of now, there is no report of any damage from any part of the district,” the DDC said. The deputy commissioners of these districts have issued advisories asking people to remain indoors in view of the flood-like situation developed in the mountainous belts.

    According to a weather office forecast, heavy rain is predicted in Kishtwar district which may cause temporary disruption of air and surface traffic mainly on the national highway and hilly roads, besides land landslides and shooting stones in vulnerable spots of the highway, according to the advisory issued by the district administration.

    “District police Kishtwar has established a help desk and people are advised to stay at home and not to venture out of their home unnecessarily,” it said. The district administrations have also issued helpline numbers in case of any emergency.

  • Promote class 11 students by July 15, Bengal HC council tells schools

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education Tuesday asked school authorities to complete the formalities relating to promotion of students from class 11 to the next class by July 15.

    The council had on April 30 said that the annual examination to promote students from class 11 to 12 will not be required this year in view of the pandemic situation and the respective higher secondary schools will promote students to the next class.

    The council on June 8 asked guardians to come to the school premises with the identity card of their wards to complete the admission procedure by strictly maintaining all Covid-19 protocols.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that the board examinations in the state for classes 10 and 12 will not be held this year due to the Covid-19 situation.

    The evaluation method will be decided by experts in a week’s time so that the careers of the candidates were not at stake, Banerjee had said. 

  • COVID-19: When can students join back school, states ask parents

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Several states, urged by the Centre, have started conducting a survey among guardians and parents to understand whether the primary and preprimary students can be brought back to schools beginning next month.

    The development comes even as classes 9-12 have begun in many states and secondary classes are set to start later this month.

    Sources in the Union education ministry told this newspaper that the states had reached out to the Centre for its opinion on re-opening the lower classes based on the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country at present.

    “However, we have suggested they take the opinions of the stakeholders as the decision to reopen the schools had been left on individual states’ discretion in the guidelines earlier,” said a senior official in the ministry.

    “We have now heard that some states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh among others are reaching out to parents to get their opinion and whether they are comfortable in sending back the young students to schools,” the official added.

    The Centre had permitted the reopening of schools in phases after October 15, while making it clear that it will continue to promote online teaching.

    This meant that what students could actually experience is varying depending on where they go to school.

    The Union education and home ministries have categorically said that students will not be forced to attend classes in school.

    “Even if schools for young children start in the coming weeks depending on the feedback we receive, we will ask schools to ensure that attendance is not enforced, and it will depend entirely on parental consent,” said an education department official in Uttar Pradesh.

    Global bodies have been insisting on reopening of schools saying that the benefits of keeping those open far outweigh the costs of closing them, and hence nationwide closures should be avoided at all costs.

    A recent UNICEF global study using data from 191 countries showed no association between school status and Covid-19 infection rates in the community.

    With little evidence that schools contribute to higher rates of transmission, It had urged governments to prioritize reopening schools and also to make them safe.

    School re-opening plans must include expanding access to education, including remote learning, especially for marginalized groups, the report had said adding that education systems must also be adapted and built to withstand future crises.

  • Schools for class 6-12 to reopen in Uttarakhand on February 8

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: As schools from class 6-12 are scheduled to reopen in Uttarakhand from February 8, the state govt is bracing for challenges to maintain Covid safety norms in around 9000 government and private schools in the hill state.

    The state government on Saturday gave the nod.

    Commenting on the issue, R Meenakshi Sundaram, secretary for the school education of Uttarakhand said, “Plans are afoot to ensure the following of Covid-19 safety norms in the schools. The state government health department and disaster management department will be releasing standard operating procedures for the same soon”.

    The Covid-19 test will be mandatory for all students studying in boarding schools, but not for day scholars. Schools, however, were reopened for students of class 10 and 12 on November 2 last year. 

    In October, the state cabinet had approved the reopening of schools for class 10-12 following Covid-19 appropriate precaution, as students have to prepare for board exams. 

    Responding to the queries related to the decision of opening of the schools, Arif Khan, head of National Association for Parents and Students Rights (NAPSR) said, “The parents, guardians are still not convinced in the state to sent their children to schools given that the threat of Covid 19 still lurks.”

  • Now the collector will decide the recognition of 240 private schools

    The Collector will take the final decision in the matter of canceling the recognition of 240 schools in a hurry on behalf of District Education Officer Raipur. Most of the schools have set up a fee committee and have also submitted the information to the District Education Officer office.

    School managers say that some schools had already constituted the committee and its information was given to the nodal officers. Even after this, the recognition of his school has been canceled. It is also being continuously opposed.

    In Chhattisgarh, the Private School Fee Regulation Bill 2020 has been passed by a majority. As per rules, the fees committee will have two members nominated by the clerk, the Nodal Member Primary, Middle, High School School.

  • Manipur Cabinet approves reopening of schools and colleges from January 27

    By PTI
    IMPHAL: The Manipur government has decided that schools and colleges in the state will reopen from January 27, an official said.

    The state Cabinet meeting on Friday chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh decided that schools will reopen for students of Class 9 to 12, the official said.

    It also decided that all colleges will also reopen from January 27 by strictly following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of COVID-19, a release issued by the Information and Public Relations department said.

    The cabinet meeting held at Kamjong district headquarters also approved rules governing Manipur Private Security Services for providing private security to cash transportation activities, rules for banning unregulated deposits schemes and the Manipur Human Rights Commission Services Rules.

    The meeting also agreed to conduct elections to the Autonomous District Council and Urban local bodies, the release said.

    During his visit to Kamjong district, the chief minister inaugurated 33/11 KV Sub-Stations of Nambashi, Nampisha and Gamnom villages.

    He also inaugurated the temporary office of SP, augmentation of water supply at Lairam Khullen and Khongjal under Jal Jeevan Mission, Kamjong Forest Division Office Complex and many other projects.

    The chief minister also laid the foundation stones for Ima Market at Kamjong, Khambi to Nongman road, bailey bridge over Changkhong river, bailey bridge over Tuyungbi river on Hongbai to Kangoi road and many other projects, the release added.

  • Schools will not open in Delhi from November 1,

    Children’s schools will not open in the country’s capital yet. In the previous order, the schools were closed till 31 October. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said on Wednesday that there is a fear among parents and children that the infection will increase if the school is opened. He said at the press conference that the same feedback was received from teachers and parents that schools should be kept closed. Sisodia said that all government and private schools in Delhi will remain closed till further orders. He said that wherever the schools were opened in the midst of the epidemic, cases increased among children. In such a situation, it will not be right to open Delhi’s school.