Visakhapatnam: Safety protocols go for a toss in schools

Visakhapatnam: Masks are getting exchanged and so are the lunch boxes. While some are unable to stick to the mask mandate for hours, others find it impossible to maintain a safe distance with friends.

It has been a month since Covid-19-hit schools reopened.

Despite a substantial rise in the attendance, measures taken to maintain safety protocols appear to take a backseat.

Although the government schools started functioning from August 16, Covid-19 tests were not being conducted for students in many schools across the rural region and parts of urban areas except a few random tests. With already more than 15 schoolchildren being infected with Covid-19 in various schools across Visakhapatnam, the fear of infection spreading among students continues to haunt parents as well as teachers.

As the days pass, there is a growing concern over maintaining personal hygiene, safety, sanitation standards in educational institutions.

"Most of the schools register 70 to 75 percent attendance compared to the initial statistics of 40 to 45 percent in Visakhapatnam. There is a strict compliance with maintaining the total strength of a class which is not exceeding 20 as per the guidelines," says B Lingeswara Reddy, District Education Officer.

Even in a majority of schools where the 20 students per class ratio is followed there is a violation at times as the strength for offline classes is gradually swelling. In order to put up a collective fight against the pandemic, following Covid safety protocols such as wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and sanitising hands at regular intervals should be strictly monitored. For teachers, keeping a tab on the children during lunch break or play time turns out to be a daunting task.

"Constant awareness is required to make children understand the importance of adhering to Covid-19 norms. Recently, the department has carried out a special drive on school safety. Additionally, surprise visits are made to the schools across the state to check the status from time to time," shares Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu, Director of School Education Department, with The Hans India.

Though there is an App to monitor the condition of washrooms on a daily basis, the school managements say that nothing concrete would emerge to resolve issues if any despite the images being uploaded on the Integrated Monitoring System for Midday Meals and Sanitation (IMMS) sanitation App.

Another major issue shared by the teachers and the school managements alike is the lack of intense Covid-19 testing conducted in educational institutions. They say that the district administration should consider conducting Covid tests once in two weeks in schools to make sure that the school environment is safe for the teachers, students and their family as well.

Though the parents have submitted the consent letters to the school managements about their willingness to send their wards to the educational institutions, the least they expect in return is a safe environment for their children.