Many Madurai schools evading Covid protocol?

MADURAI: Many schools in the district are giving Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place to tackle Covid-19 a miss, it came to light. 

During a visit to a few government, government-aided and private schools in the district, TNIE found that the authorities of some schools are not adhering to physical distancing and have not arranged water and soap on the school premises. It was also found that the staff of a few private schools are not taking body temparature of students and teachers. 

Headmistress of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Ulaganeri, Sasithra, said that SOPs are being strictly followed in her school. "Each teacher has to check the body temperature of students regularly. Separate registers have been maintained for each class. Students having body temperature of more than 36 degree celsius are immediately isolated," she said. 

The headmistress also said that officials from a nearby PHC come to the school frequently to spread awareness on COVID-19. "The campus is being disinfected once a week," she said.

Meanwhile, school head of a Government Higher Secondary School said that the students are facing difficulties in wearing face masks all the time.

Pradeep, a student of a private school said that earlier school management used take body temperature of each student, but now they have stopped it. "In our class there are 60 students, and we are not following any physical distancing," he said.

Chief Educational Officer of the district, R Swaminathan, said that he periodically visits every school and that 99 per cent of them are following SOPs. "All Government and Government aided schools were provided with disinfectant spraying machines and pumps. It is mandatory for the school cleanliness workers to disinfectant all classrooms, corridors and laboratories," he said.

Swaminathan further assured that he would ensure that all schools in the district are following SOPs.