Hyderabad: Scared teachers want shifting of Covid testing centres from schools

Hyderabad: Teachers of about 30 schools across the Hyderabad district have asked the District Education Officer (DEO) to take immediate steps to shift the Covid testing centres located in the school premises.

The Telangana Progressive Teachers' Federation (TPTF) on Tuesday has made this request against the backdrop of the State government directing them to attend the schools regularly from August 27.

TPTF president M Ravinder said that the teaching staff attending the schools have been facing several problems as the number of patients growing at the testing centres. The centres are littered with contagious material like swabs, masks, personal garbage in the school premises, besides, spitting on the grounds and floors have become a routine spectacle.

Against this backdrop, he said that the teachers asked to attend the school are sacred. And, taking the problems faced, the TPTF asked the DEO to take steps for shifting of the testing centres. Also, arrange for the complete sanitisation of the school premises to make them fit for peaceful working for the teachers.

According to sources, there are about 100 such locations where the health authorities have either established isolation wards or Covid testing centres across the districts in the State. Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official said that the number is not huge in case of schools under the Director of School Education. Of about 26,000 schools the number of Covid and isolation centres would not be more than 150.

The administration of several districts has opted to establish Covid facilities more in the model and residential schools, given the kind of infrastructure available there. Confusion is prevailing among the teachers of the model and residential schools as the government directive asked teachers of all school to resume to duties. However, the District Collector has to take a decision on the reopening of the model and residential schools which are still used as testing and isolation centres, the DSE sources added.