Several schools are making announcements repeatedly asking parents to wear masks when they come to drop or pick up children and also urging them to maintain distance among themselves at the gate.
Over the past few weeks, parents have been lax in wearing masks and schools were not strict in enforcing the Covid protocol. But with a renewed rise in cases, institutions are again becoming strict with Covid norms.
While students are being continuously reminded to keep their faces covered, the parents are being told to be careful, especially when they are on the campus and coming in contact with students.
In most schools, parents, especially of pre-primary and primary children, wait at the gate or even on the premises to pick up the students after the end of the day’s classes.
“Teachers have been repeatedly telling parents to wear masks and to maintain distance among themselves. Children walk in a queue, but parents huddle together,” said Jessica Gomes Surana, principal of Loreto Convent, Entally.
One school announced on Wednesday that a parent or whoever is accompanying a child to the campus must wear a mask properly.
In another school, the head had to remind some parents to wear masks when they turned up to attend a pre-scheduled meeting with her.
La Martiniere for Boys issued a notice on Tuesday for teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and students: “As you are aware that there is a rise in Covid cases across the city and it is imperative for us to follow the Covid norms strictly without any lapse, you are earnestly requested to wear face masks always in the school and outside/to send your ward(s) to school with proper face masks and hand sanitiser.”
“When parents are coming to school, for the welfare of all they should wear a mask, especially since there has been a rise in cases of infection,” said Rupkatha Sarkar, principal of La Martiniere for Girls.
Over the past week students of many schools have tested positive for Covid or been showing symptoms of the disease.
Some schools have had to send students back home because of symptoms.
“At times students are absent because they are not well, or one or more family members have not been keeping well,” said a teacher.
“As we see reports of rising cases, we have been observing the same trend in schools. Every day teachers and children are falling sick and we have to tell parents and others to follow the protocol,” said Amita Prasad, principal of Indus Valley World School.
“We are telling the parents that we have to keep the school running and keep the campus safe.”
Teachers are also expected to wear a mask though it is difficult for them to deliver lectures with the mask on.
At Loreto Convent Entally, teachers have been told that they can keep the mask down while they are speaking to students from a distance.
“They can put it down when they are delivering a lecture or instructing the class. But the moment the teacher is going near the students to guide them or see their work, they should put the mask on,” said Gomes Surana, principal of Loreto Convent.