HYDERABAD: As managements gear up for physical classes from September 1, consent forms being circulated by some schools, absolving themselves from taking any responsibility for the students’ health, has irked parents.
Following the Telangana government’s orders, many schools have started sending consent forms to parents to know what percentage of them were ready to send their children back to school. In few such forms accessed by TOI, schools have clearly refused to take any responsibility for the health of the students.
In one such form, circulated by a school based in Begumpet, the management has not only asked parents to take responsibility for Covid-19 but also for other diseases such as dengue and malaria.
Not just that, it binds parents with legal responsibility if students or staff, knowingly or unknowingly, get infected.
“Parent voluntarily agrees to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any infection or injury from any communicable disease such as Covid-19, dengue, malaria etc. to the student, or student’s family or friends, or anyone who has contact with such persons,” it reads.
Schools admit that almost 70% parents have not consented to send their children to school for physical classes. “We also are yet to receive detailed instruction by the education department, on whether it is essential to discontinue the online classes if the physical school starts or to continue with them simultaneously along with physical classes,” stated authorities from the Jubilee Hills Public School in a letter to all the parents.
Upset parents say that the consent form does not instil any confidence in them as far as the safety of students is concerned. “Why would I want to send my child to school if the management is holding me and the child responsible for all the actions? Students’ safety is an equal partnership between the parents and the school management. None of us can solely hold the other responsible for it,” said Dinesh Sharma (name changed), a parent.
In another case, an Abids-based school has sought a declaration from parents stating that they are sending their child to school at their “own risk and responsibility” and “will not hold the school responsible” for their child’s health.
School managements argue that the consent form has been drafted following government orders. “We have had past experiences where the parents blamed the school managements for infecting their child. While we are taking all necessary precautions, parents also need to keep a close watch on the child’s activities,” said a city-school principal.
Meanwhile, a PIL has been filed in the Telangana High Court challenging the government’s decision to reopen schools from September 1.
