Health more important than exams: Kolkata schools

KOLKATA: With viral infections among children prevalent this examination season, several schools have reached out to parents saying kids' health is a priority and not the session-end tests. Several schools on Monday issued fresh health advisories, including wearing masks.
On Monday, South City International School issued advisories on safeguard protocol to keep children safe. Principal John Bagul said: "We sensitized students during the morning assembly to stay safe and take precautionary measures like using masks and washing hands regularly."
The circular advised kids to wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands, avoid close contact with people who are sick, stay at home who are sick, use tissues for sneezing and coughing and avoid sharing cups and tiffin boxes.
The BSS School has planned to conduct a morning address on Tuesday to make students aware of the sudden rise in cases. Principal Sunita Sen said: "Last week, we warned students of the virus and advised them to be a little careful. We have directed them to wear surgical masks and not cloth masks. Keeping in mind the severity, we will again hold another session to make them aware of it."
St Thomas' Boys' School principal John AK Ghosh said that students had been asked to follow precautionary measures and get sanitised from time to time. Special incense sticks are being used to make classes germs-free.
Most of the city schools - like Birla High School, Modern High School for Girls, Indus Valley World School and Gokhale Memorial Girls' School - are holding annual examinations and many of them have already directed parents not to send their wards to the school if they were suffering from cough and cold. A principal of a city school said: "We have told them to stay at home if they are unwell so that parents do not panic."
Modern High School for Girls' director Devi Kar said: "Parents have become so careful that they keep kids at home, so we don't have to worry. If we see someone coughing, we will take necessary precautions or offer her a mask but we haven't sent out any special kind of directive." DPS New Town headmistress Rahi Mukhopadhyay said: "We are advising students to stay safe, wear masks and not to drink cold water."
Most of the city schools also said the outreach to parents and students have been a regular feature post Covid, including during the exams season. One of the principals said: "These kids had suffered a lot during the two years of pandemic. So this time we are trying to sensitise them and our focus is to allay their worries."