Hyderabad, December 05: supporters from using campuses, but on Friday many schools too shut shop after rowdy protesters landed at their gates.
The unruly agitators succeeded in some schools and failed to make headway at some others due to police presence. But they did manage to create a ‘fear psychosis’. They were thwarted by cops before they could reach Pallavi Model school at Bowenpally but succeeded in their threats at Satyam International, which rang the bell soon after 9 am. Worried parents’ calls also finally forced Jubilee Hills Public School to close early.
While government schools in general remained open, some in the OU area shut down. But most private schools were in no mood to take chances. St Andrew’s school (Marredpally and Bowenpally) shut down on Friday, along with many others such as Bhashyam group of schools (which has branches across the city) and Silver Drops in Meerpet. Observers said that many institutions owned by those from the coast voluntarily closed to avoid trouble.
Vijay Kumar, founder director of Indus World School, said that as other schools in RR district were closed, they too decided to shut shop. “Students are preparing for their exams and their studies are getting disrupted,’’ he said.
This is the third blow to the academic calendar of city schools this year. They had to earlier declare unplanned holidays after YSR’s death, floods and then polls. Schools are now worried if they would be able to conduct the half-yearly exam this month. Most schools have postponed or cancelled events. Chinmaya Vidyalaya, for instance, postponed its sports day scheduled for Saturday at Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad.
“We fear chaos on roads. Our students come from far off places and parents were worried that a sudden agitation could leave children stranded,’’ a school official said. The annual day of DPS, Nanakramguda, was also cancelled on Friday and the school itself closed at noon. “This agitation has upset our whole schedule,’’ teacher Amita Mistry rued.
-Agencies