Student health check-up rule goes for a toss in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Conducting health check-ups for students is mandatory in all schools, as per the Education department. But most government and private schools in the city don't have any data on students' health. According to the parents' associations, schools are violating norms of the department of not conducting health check-ups twice a year.

A few parents point out that it is the responsibility of the department officials to conduct inspections whether schools are conducting medical camps or not. A few private hospitals for promotional purposes organise health checks but they are just an eyewash.

Asif Hussain Sohail, president, Telangana Parents' Association for Child Rights & Safety, said, "conducting medical check-ups is only on paper. Keeping in view the pandemic situation at least now they should start health check-ups in schools, specially in government schools. Health check-ups are much needed.

There should be a monitoring body for inspecting whether health check-ups are done in schools or not. Our organisation, Sakina Foundation, is ready to conduct free health camps in schools if the State government collaborates with us, as we have been conducting health camps across the city." Remarked Murali Krishna, a parent, "norms are only for namesake; no schools are following them. Health check-ups should be mandatory in schools, as for the last two years we witnessed many ups and downs. At least once in six months, schools should organise medical camps. Many times we have asked school managements to hold health check-up, but they fell on deaf ears.

The department should question schools' authorities for not conducting health camps; if they are questioned then only schools will follow the norms." K Venkat Sainath, joint secretary, Hyderabad Schools Parents' Association, (HSPA), said, "as per the CBSE, ICSE and SSC boards, schools should maintain students' records of periodical health check-ups data.

But no schools are following this. Periodic health checks should be conducted in schools; a psychiatrist should be appointed in every school but no one is following it up. At least from the next academic year the department should direct schools to conduct health check-ups at least every six months." A government school teacher said," due to lack of medical staff in the urban primary health centres in government schools, we are unable to organise health check-ups.