First ensure health safety of students & teachers before reopening of schools: AASU

SCHOOL REOPENING FROM SEPTEMBER 1

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has asked Dispur to ensure total health safety of students as well teachers before reopening of schools across the State.

AASU chief advisor Dr Samujjal Bhattacharjya told The Sentinel on Sunday that the students' union will not tolerate the loss of an academic year due to the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"But at the same time, we do not want any compromise on the health security of the students and the teachers. There are various ways to prevent the loss of an academic year without creating any health risk for the students. The State Government will have to explore innovative ways of teaching and learning against the backdrop of the present pandemic situation," Dr Bhattacharjya said.

Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday had said that the 'Task Force' constituted to look after the education scenario in the State in view of the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown, would take the final call of reopening of schools from September 1. He, however, appealed to the teachers to undergo COVID test so that they could stand by to attend the schools from September 1. The task force will hold its meetings on August 25 and 26 to discuss the issue and take the final decision.

On other hand, doctors and health experts are of the opinion that with the existing infrastructures and facilities in schools (both government and private) across Assam, it might be a blunder if the State Government goes ahead to reopen the educational institutions even in a phased manner and that too without waiting for the invention of a vaccine against COVID-19 and effective treatment.

"If the schools are re-opened at this critical juncture when there is active spread of the virus, all measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus should be strictly followed among the students as well as between the teachers and the students. This will not be possible with the existing infrastructure in any school. Strict maintenance of the scientifically-evolved preventive measures will not be possible in the classrooms as well as in the transport vehicles," Dr. JnanendraNath Sharma, former Head of the Department of Pediatrics, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) said.

Dr Sharma, who has authored several books in different languages on the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of children, further said that it is very difficult to say when it will be right and safe to reopen the schools because experts all over the world have not been able to tell unequivocally when the spread of COVID-19 will stop or slow down.

"It is too early to confidently declare anything because COVID-19 is a new virus for the world. There are many aspects still unknown about the characteristics and behavior of this virus," Dr Sharma said, adding that under such circumstances one should not take the risk of allowing children to go to schools. 

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