With upper primary classes set to reopen on Monday, the Department of Primary and Secondary Education plans to conduct random testing of students for COVID-19 in taluks where the positivity rate is high. According to officials, this will not only help them monitor the situation on ground, but also build confidence among parents to send their children to school.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh told The Hindu that he will issue oral orders to test students randomly in districts where the positivity rate is above 2%. “School managements, both private and government, will however have to obtain the consent from parents before a student’s swabs are drawn for testing,” said Mr. Nagesh.
While the department had initially planned to test students in schools across the State, Mr. Nagesh said that a section of parents were against the move. “Parents told us that if students are forced to undergo tests, they would not send their children back to school. Hence, we will not impose it, but make it voluntary. Our only aim is to take all measures possible so that parents are confident about sending their children to school. We also want to create a conducive environment and ensure that children are safe in the school,” he added.
The government had undertaken a similar exercise after high schools and second year pre-university classes reopened on September 23. A total of 6,472 high school and PU students tested for COVID-19. To date, around 14 students tested positive. The results of all the samples are however yet to be processed.
Doctors, too, feel that randomised tests are the need of the hour. H.M. Prasanna, president of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association (PHANA) said that random testing, with parental consent, should be done as it would help prevent the spread of the virus on campuses. “The association had also recommended that all schools should appoint a nurse to help with the detection of early symptoms among students,” he said.
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School managements, however, are sceptical of whether this move will inspire confidence among parents. D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka, said that many parents may not cooperate with this exercise. The government should test students only if they show symptoms of COVID-19, he said.
