MANGALURU: Some government
schools in Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada,
Dharwad and Bidar districts have made
Covid-19 tests mandatory for all
students, even though the government has announced this requirement only for
teachers.
Many
parents are upset about the sudden demand that
children must undergo tests and are contacting officials to seek clarity. According to the government’s guidelines, all teachers and school staff should undergo Covid-19 tests. In the case of students, it is necessary for only those who are exhibiting symptoms associated with the disease. Such students are anyway supposed to stay home.
A member of a school development and management committee (SDMC) in Chikkodi, Belagavi, said that some parents contacted him to get answers about testing. “I then spoke to the block education officer of that locality. He said he would clear things up with parents through WhatsApp groups,” the member said.
Moiddin Kutti, the state president of the SDMC forum, told
TOI that there appeared to be some misunderstanding over the guidelines and schools were mistakenly seeking Covid-19 tests for students. After he received complaints from parents from some districts, he asked SDMCs to sort out the issue. “We will do everything to bring the maximum number of children to schools. Some private schools are also asking parents to get Covid-19 tests done for their children and the government must look into this separately,” Kutti said.
VP Niranjanradhya, an education expert, said that the government should issue a clarification to clear confusion.
Gajanana M, Chikkodi DDPI, said that he had directed staff to send out a message that testing was not mandatory for students.