Low attendance in Delhi schools day after bomb threat mails

Following a series of hoax bomb threats via email that targeted nearly 200 schools across Delhi-NCR, educational institutions in the region grappled with diminished attendance and residual anxiety among parents and students.

On Wednesday morning, approximately 200 schools in the Delhi-NCR area were rattled by menacing bomb threat emails, plunging parents and students into a state of panic. In response, authorities swiftly suspended classes, urging parents to retrieve their children from school premises.

While many schools resumed operations on Thursday, a palpable unease lingered, reflected in reduced attendance even in institutions unaffected by the threats, principals said.

Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu School, disclosed that she meticulously reviewed the school’s evacuation protocols across all floors and reached out to disaster management authorities to schedule mock drills and awareness sessions. She noted a slight uptick in absenteeism on Thursday.

“I communicated with parents via email, advising them to support their children and avail themselves of counseling services if necessary,” Arora said. “Amidst the chaos, I reminded parents of the collective responsibility to safeguard our 2,700 students.”

Despite the heightened vigilance, Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL Public School in Dwarka, observed a noticeable drop in attendance, underscoring the persistent apprehension among parents regarding their children’s safety.

Sudha, also the head of the National Progressive Schools Conference, emphasised that while attendance levels dipped, the situation remained under control, with ongoing efforts to reassure parents and maintain normalcy within the school environment.

Anita Khosla, principal of G D Goenka Public School in Dwarka, echoed similar sentiments, attributing a 10-15 per cent decline in attendance to the recent hoax threats. Khosla urged for collaborative efforts between schools and parents to navigate through this challenging period.

In a bid to restore confidence, schools announced plans to issue fresh advisories, reassuring parents of stringent security measures and urging them to send their children back to classrooms. Enhanced sanitisation protocols and continued police surveillance were also highlighted as measures to bolster safety on school premises.

Despite the apprehension, some parents opted to accompany their children to school on Thursday, citing a mix of concerns and ongoing examinations. Delhi Police issued a public appeal, urging citizens to disregard false audio messages circulating on WhatsApp groups, aimed at amplifying the anxiety surrounding the bomb threats. (With inputs from PTI)