Calcutta schools gear up to assure parents: eek consent after preparing a detailed note on the steps taken to ensure a safe environment on their campuses

Several institutions said they would seek consent after preparing a detailed note on the steps taken to ensure a safe environment on their campuses

A school in south Calcutta being sanitisied on Wednesday: Pradip Sanyal

Jhinuk Mazumdar   |   TT  |  04. Feb 21:St James’ School wrote to parents of Class X and XII students on Wednesday seeking their consent for their children’s return to the campus.

Several other schools said they would seek consent after preparing a detailed note on the steps taken to ensure a safe environment on their campuses. Besides these measures, the schools will also have to adhere to government guidelines.

Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee had on Tuesday said schools would reopen for in-person classes from February 12 for students of Classes IX to XII.

A number of schools are awaiting the government notification before announcing their preparedness to parents.

The bishop of the Calcutta diocese of the Church of North India, Reverend Paritosh Canning, has asked CNI school heads to send him details of their “preparedness and arrangements for adherence to health protocols” by February 9.

The letter from St James’ principal Terence Ireland to the parents states: “We have taken all the mandatory and necessary measures to sanitise the classrooms, laboratories and School thoroughly and will also ensure that the social distancing norms are strictly followed. Thus we ensure the safety and protection of your ward….”

The areas of concern among parents include how many children will be seated in a classroom and how they will be monitored during lunch and other breaks.

“In my view there should be no lunch break or assembly to avoid any kind of contact. The school has to tell us clearly about its plans,” said Manish Dalmia, whose daughter is in Class XI.

The Heritage School in its communication with parents will cover areas like transport,  classrooms and common areas. “We are trying to cover all aspects so that parents do not have to worry and are comfortable sending their children to school,” said Seema Sapru, the principal of The Heritage School.

South Point, Delhi Public School New Town and Mahadevi Birla World Academy are in the process of preparing their consent notes.

“The consent form will contain a detailed note of the SOPs that the school will follow to ensure a safe environment as far as possible,” said Krishna Damani, trustee of South Point.

DPS New Town is planning to ask parents to keep children home if they are unwell. “We will also reassure parents that if a child is unable to attend school, he will not miss out on anything. Because of online classes, that communication has been firmly established,” said principal Sonali Sen.

Rammohan Mission High School started sanitisation of the campus on Wednesday. “Once classes resume, we will sanitise the classrooms every day,” said principal Sujoy Biswas.

“There are students who use public transport and that fear and concern for safety is there amongst parents,” said Anjana Saha, the principal of Mahadevi Birla World Academy.