Safety a concern as Covid norms go for toss in Mohali schools

Harkanwar Kaur

Mohali, August 22

It seems a number of government schools in Mohali are not concerned about the safety of children in the face of a possible third wave of Covid-19.

Even as schools have been reopened for students of primary to higher classes in Punjab, the authorities are making little effort to comply with the Covid norms.

During a visit to government schools in Mohali, this correspondent found that students as well as teachers were neither wearing masks nor maintaining social distance.

“We have made efforts to ensure that students wear masks in the school and don’t gather in groups, in or out of the school, but we all know that primary wing students don’t take the advice seriously,” said Harpreet Kaur, senior in-charge of Government Middle School, Bar Majra, Mohali, when asked about the children sitting in corridors without masks.

In many classes, both students and teachers were not wearing masks and study tables were also arranged without following the norm of six-foot distance.

Baljinder Kaur, a teacher of Government Primary/Middle Smart School, Phase 2, SAS Nagar, said: “Most of the students belong to slum areas and they lack awareness regarding the Covid norms. We request the parents to send their wards to the school with masks but they often say children misplace these on the way.”

Though physical activities have been put on hold as part of the Covid norms, students were seen walking in the playing areas and on the staircase.

“Some teachers also don’t wear masks while teaching or checking our notebooks. They keep the masks in their handbags,” said a student.

Recently, the Sub-Divisional Magistrates of three sub-divisions of Mohali had conducted a surprise check of schools in their respective areas and ordered the closure of four of these for the non-compliance of safety protocols.