Chandigarh Administration advances winter vacation as 3 students test positive

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 17

The UT Administration has decided to shut schools early as the Covid-19 threat looms large in the city after three students from different schools tested positive for the disease.

Of the three Covid positive children, two are from private schools and one from a government school. In view of this, the UT Education Department has decided to prepone the winter vacation by seven days from December 27 to December 20. However, it has been clarified that the examinations will continue as per the schedule and the staff deputed on election duty will work.

What private schools say

We have examinations going on in our schools and it is not feasible for us to shut the schools. We will go as per our schedule as the department has only issued an advisory. — HS Mamik, president, ISA

A Class VI student of St Kabir Public School, Sector 26, tested positive for Covid-19 on December 10, after which the school authorities had decided to shut the school for three days. All children who came in contact with the patient were asked to test for Covid in case of symptoms. The school authorities informed that there has been no further spread of the virus among schoolchildren.

Another student of Class I of Pocket No. 6, Mani Majra Government School, has tested positive for Covid-19. District Education Officer Prabhjot Kaur said children who came in contact with the Class I student had tested negative. She said the UT Health Department had issued instructions to schools to ensure the Covid-19 protocol.

Meanwhile, private schools have been asked to follow the same instructions and shut schools at the earliest. Independent Schools Association (ISA) president HS Mamik said, “We have examinations going on in our schools and it is not feasible for us to shut the schools. We will go as per our schedule as the department has only issued an advisory.”

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