Telangana: Parents jittery as govt, schools pass buck

Hyderabad: Parents are up in arms against the schools and the education department. They feel that schools and education department are passing the buck to each other when it comes to the safety and health of their wards.

It may be mentioned here that the education department in its recent academic calendar issued to the schools stated that the schools must conduct regular health check-ups and head-masters should contact the nearest primary health centre for any medical aid or emergency.

This was mandated as part of the child medical plan of the academic calendar for the Academic Year-2020-21. If students exhibit Covid symptoms, the headmaster concerned has to arrange transport and send the child back home with proper escort.

But, the guidelines do not make any mention of the additional fee for transport or whether the child will be sent home or to a hospital, the wary parents point out.

Reacting on the issue, parents of students of class IX and X said that school managements are shirking from responsibility for students' well-being. "I will not send my child to school and the parents who are willing to send their wards shall be given choice to make a decision, but not the management. The school managements' attitude would be a major reason why many parents are not willing to send their wards to schools." said Seema Agarwal, a parent of a student of class IX.

Speaking to The Hans India, Anil, a member of Hyderabad School Parents Association, said "I am not willing to send my ward to school unless there's absolute certainty in health and safety measures put in place and the transport charges will be on parents."

Expression similar views, Rajendra Kankani another parent, said "Now that schools are reopening, they will collect fees for safety and medical plans as well and if something bad occurs due to corona, the responsibility would be solely shifted on to parents."

Even as parents want schools to take responsibility of students, the latter say the government should step in should a child be sent home or to a hospital on exhibition of symptoms. Yadagiri Shekhar Rao, the state president of Telangana Recognised School Management Association (TRSMA), says: "We are not charging any additional fee for safety and medical, so the onus rests on the government and not on the management. We will ensure protection of students on our end, but the government must assure parents on the safety of wards if any suspected cases occur."

With the education department insisting the responsibility on the schools and the schools passing the buck to the education department, the parents are clueless as to who are responsible for the safety and health of their children on the physical reopening of the schools.