Private schools are in talks with hospitals for the vaccination of students in the 12 to 14 age group and will send out forms to parents to estimate how many want to have their children get the jab on campus.
Government schools are awaiting instructions from the education department on whether vaccination camps would be held on campuses for the children aged between 12 and 14.
“We have already spoken to Belle Vue Clinic regarding getting our students vaccinated. We have started the process of understanding how many parents are interested because based on that, the hospital will procure doses for us,” said Supriyo Dhar, secretary, La Martiniere schools.
“If the corporation (Kolkata Municipal Corporation) is holding a camp exclusively for us, we need to have an adequate number of parents ready to get their children vaccinated. We will send out consent forms on Wednesday because we are not sure how many parents are interested,” said John Bagul, principal of South City International School.
Several schools are keen on starting talks with the civic body on the vaccination of children in the 12-14 age group and also want to wait and watch to assess how many parents want their children to have the shot at schools.
“Last time, we had started a drive in association with a private hospital. The next day the civic body, too, conducted a drive. It was embarrassing for the school because one set of parents had to pay and another got their children vaccinated for free,” said a school head.
A KMC official said they were yet to get any instruction on vaccination in schools.
South Point, Indus Valley World School, St Augustine’s Day Schools (Shyamnagar and Barrackpore) said they were keen on getting their students vaccinated on their campuses.
“We have a tie-up with a government hospital but we have to wait to have an idea of availability of vaccines,” said Janet Gasper Chowdhury, president of the St Augustine’s Education Society.