HSPA seeks Covid-19 testing for school staff

Central, state govt norms are followed, says official

The Hyderabad Schools Parents Association (HSPA) asked education minister Sabitha Indira Reddy on Tuesday to mandate Covid-19 test for all teaching and non-teaching staff in all schools to ensure that only noninfected persons are allowed inside the premises from February 1, when they reopen.

Questions were raised during HSPA’s meeting with the minister on the liability of the schools and the government if any student who goes to school with parental consent gets infected. The government did not respond, sources said.

The minister assured the parents body that such a situation was unlikely, and that all safety protocols would be followed, and mandatory Covid-19 testing for staff will be ensured.

Speaking with Deccan Chronicle, a senior official in the education department said, “We are following all guidelines issued by the Central and state governments. We cannot guarantee who gets infected while at the school or college. We will follow safety protocols. It is up to the parents and students to identify the situation and consent to taking physical classes, which are not mandatory anyway.”

The government assured that after the reopening, regular visits of district nodal officers will take place to ensure that all educational institutions were following the safety protocols.

The HSPA raised issues relating to GO 46 violations, and fee regulations in the past few months. They requested the minister

to decide a percentage of fee reduction in view of the pandemic and loss of income of parents. It wanted the government to decide the fee to be paid in proportion to the salaries and rents paid by private schools.

The HSPA demanded expediting the constitution of a fee regulation committee for private schools, along with an official directive to the managements to give a detailed break-up of fees collected by them.