Hyderabad: Surge in seasonal ailments sparks fear among school managements

Hyderabad: Seasonal ailments have triggered fear among school managements, especially those run by government, as most children coming to schools are suffering from cold, cough and running nose.

Teachers are in a dilemma to allow or not such students into classrooms. Following Covid norms, particularly physical distancing, has become a headache for the managements with the existing infrastructure.

In the guidelines the Education department has instructed the institutions to send back children home if they are found with symptoms like cold, cough or running nose. Following a statement of the Health Director the parents are treating all these signs as seasonal ailments, not Covid, and sending children to school without fear.

Children, especially from the primary, are hardly following the Covid norms. They are not seen with masks and are unable to follow social distancing outside classrooms during lunch hour. The managements are providing masks to students in packs, but they are unable to give masks daily. As primary schools are usually congested, maintaining distancing in classrooms has become difficult.

Speaking to The Hans India, a headmaster of Hafeezpet primary school said " space is not sufficient in classrooms of government schools to follow the Covid guidelines. All children are below 10 years and it is tough to manage them, as this time the government has not provided masks to schools we are giving masks to students".

A headmistress of Hydernagar primary school Tajwar said "masks and sanitisers are yet to be provided to us. The department had arranged masks to students after the first wave. She informed that strength in all government schools has gone up. It would be better to call students on alternate days during monsoon, as seasonal fevers are on surge to avoid any untoward eventuality."

"Most parents of primary students are daily wage workers. Instead of leaving children at home alone they are sending them to school even though they have cough and cold or fever. School managements cannot send the students home alone during school hours as it is risky", she added.

According to teachers of various government schools, institutions can be run with 50 per cent strength on alternate days as the strength has gone up.