Home to be school for 38 lakh children; First Bell 2.0 will ring today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Today marks the beginning of another academic year in which students will be taking their lessons sitting at home. With houses becoming classrooms in the wake of Covid, the Praveshanotsavam in the state will also be held virtually. About three lakh children have joined class 1. This number could go up as the admission process is not yet complete. Last year, there were 3.5 lakh students in class 1. A total of 38 lakh children, from classes 1 to 10, will begin their lessons today. Children who have been studying at home for more than a year, without seeing the schoolyard, without friends, without playing and laughing, without seeing the teachers directly, will start their new lessons. Students will once again miss the joy of climbing the school stairs on June 1 with a new uniform, a new bag and a new umbrella. College classes will also start online today.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the 'Praveshanotsavam' at Cotton hill School at 8.30 am. Ministers V Sivankutty, GR Anil and Antony Raju will be present.

Actors Mammootty, Mohanlal, Prithviraj, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Manju Warrier will send their greetings through the Victers channel.

From 11 am, the head of the UN Disaster Management Unit Dr. Muralee Thummarukudy, magician Gopinath Muthukadu, UNICEF social policy advisor Piyush Antony and others will interact with the children. At 2 pm, child psychiatrist Dr. Jayaprakash will answer the children's questions.