Worried about students who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19, schools across the city are taking more precautionary measures. Many have told their students not to come to class even for the year-end examination if they have symptoms of flu such as cold, cough and fever.
Several schools have cancelled morning assemblies and plan to conduct parent-teacher meetings online as they want to avoid any large gathering. These precautions are based on the guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, said principals.
Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
Mansoor Ali Khan, member, board of management, DPS Group of Schools, said that they have issued a strict advisory asking students to remain at home even if it means skipping examinations. “We will try and organise a separate examination for them at a later date. If that is not possible, we will consider the average of the earlier examination scores,” he said.
Ever since the circular came into effect this week, the number of absentees in schools has been 7% to 8%. “Normally, we have no student absenteeism during the examination season. But parents, too, are exercising caution,” Mr. Khan added.
Jyotsna Nair, principal of National Public School in Koramangala, said that they have issued an advisory on the need to keep children at home. On the issue of parents’ concerns about their children’s academic performance, she said. “As it is a continuous assessment, students will be graded on their earlier assessments. All field and educational trips for our students have been cancelled.”
Another school in Yelahanka New Town has asked students to report if there have been cases of family members travelling to any of the affected countries, such as China, South Korea, Singapore, Italy and Iran, or have been in close proximity with someone who came to Bengaluru from these countries in the last two weeks. “If they have, they should not come to school for the rest of the academic year,” said the principal.
Dakshayini Khanna, principal of Harvest International School, said that students who are unwell are asked to bring letters from medical practitioners and are made to sit in a separate room and write the examination. “Some students were wearing masks in the examination halls.”
