Schools’ reopening goes awry

College staff infected in Matiari, Sehwan; 4 schools sealed in Karachi over SOPs violation

Two colleges were sealed in Matiari on Thursday after eight staff members tested positive for Covid-19, while four schools were sealed in Karachi for violating pandemic-related standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Besides, eight staff members of Government Boys Degree College, Sehwan, have also been found infected and have quarantined themselves for 15 days, according to a letter written by the college’s principal, Mustafa Kamal, to Hyderabad college education director. The infected staff members were tested on September 12.

Colleges sealed

The news of eight college staff members in Matiari being found infected with the coronavirus just two days after educational institutes reopened on September 15 was confirmed by Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Twitter.

Later, the minister directed the Sindh education secretary to ensure that all teaching and non-teaching staff across province were tested for the coronavirus and those found infected were not allowed entry to educational institutes.

In a video statement, Ghani said the provincial education secretary had been instructed to have all staff at public and private educational institutes in the province screened for the coronavirus in collaboration with the health department.

The testing of grade-six to grade-eight teachers is to be completed before September 21, when the on-campus sessions for the said classes will commence, and that of lower grades, before September 28, the date fixed for the starting in-class session for primary and pre-primary students, the provincial minister elaborated.

He said Covid-19 screening of all teaching and non-teaching staff of the province’s educational institutes was initiated on September 12, just days ahead of the first phase of the reopening of schools, colleges and varsities on September 15.

Back then, Ghani added, 16 teachers from educational institutes in Sehwan Sharif and Bhan Saeedabad had tested positive and were barred from conducting on-campus sessions.

Now, eight teachers from two colleges in Matiari have tested positive, following which both the institutes have been closed and instructions have been issued for spraying disinfectants there, he stated.

SOPs violation

Earlier, during surprise visits to schools and colleges in Karachi, Ghani ordered the West deputy commissioner (DC) and private schools director general to seal four schools and take strict action against them for conducting on-campus classes for primary and pre-primary students before September 28.

The schools include Faiz Public Academy, Way Grammar School, Allied School and Hajra Memorial High School, all located in Orangi Town, where primary students were called for in-session classes.

Additionally, the minister instructed the West DC to visit all educational institutes in his district and take stern action against those violating government orders.

Urging parents to not to send their children to school before the dates announced by the government, he said they may lodge a complaint against schools forcing them to send children for on-campus sessions before September 28 with the relevant DC or at the relevant police station.

“We will not allow anyone to play with children’s health at any cost,” he remarked.

Ghani also issued a show-cause notice to Orangi Town education officer Metha Khan after he failed to respond to the minister’s inquiry about the situation at educational institutes in the area.

Seeking parents’ support

Meanwhile, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazl Pechuho highlighted the role of parents in ensuring compliance with SOPs at educational institutes.

In a video statement, while advising students and schools’ administrations to strictly follow SOPs, Pechuho stated, “Parental support is needed to revive the [on-campus] teaching classes in the province.”

They need to educate their children about SOPs, she went on, adding that it was imperative for students to wear masks and wash hands regularly.

“Anyone showing any symptoms of Covid-19 should stay at home as we need to make sure that the virus is not transmitted under any circumstances,” she said, adding, however, that keeping children from attending on-campus classes was no longer feasible.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2020.