Private schools struggle to prevail over pandemic

Their number in the State has shrunk by 869 in a year

The countdown to school reopening has begun. On September 1, schools across the State are set to throw open their doors to students, teachers and administrative staff, but that’s not the only reason why the date is significant. The day will also show how several private schools in Hyderabad and other urban centres of the State survived the COVID-19 pandemic. Telangana had 11,688 private schools in 2019-20. Now, the number has shrunk to 10,819, showing a decline of 869 private schools. School managements that have survived the lockdown spread over two academic sessions are keen about the reopening and return to normalcy. “We are excited about reopening of schools. We will follow all COVID-19 safety protocols. All the teachers and non-teaching staff are vaccinated as part of the special drive conducted by the government,” said Uma Maheshwara Rao, president of Telangana Recognised Schools Management Association.