radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Three more schools in South Trinidad have reported COVID- 19 cases.
At the Tulsa Trace Hindu school, one child in the Infant department tested positive after falling sick in school on Wednesday. At the Penal Rock SDMS Hindu Primary School, two students from Infants tested positive, while a teacher and a pupil from the Al-Huda Education Primary School in Marabella also tested positive.
Acting general secretary of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Vijay Maharaj confirmed the cases but noted there was no “outbreak.”
He told Guardian Media sanitization was taking place at Penal Rock SDMS Primary this weekend and said while COVID protocols were in place in all SDMS schools, the infant children were finding it difficult to keep on their masks throughout the day.
Maharaj said teachers have been instructed, where possible, to take the children out on the playing field and allow them ten minutes to breathe without the masks.
At Tulsa Trace, a child was removed from the classroom after he complained of feeling unwell on Wednesday. He later tested positive along with his family.
The school has since been sanitized and there have been no other cases at the school.
Maharaj said children have been coming to school with individual sanitisers, noting that the SDMS purchased 120 nano-gun thermometers for its 13 Early Childhood Care Centres, 43 primary schools and five colleges.
Meanwhile, at the Al-Huda Primary, principal Amina Ghany issued an advisory to parents assuring that the “safety of all students remains the number one priority.
“As such Infant 1 and Infants, 2 students will continue classes virtually from Monday 25th to Friday 29th April. This is due to a few students displaying flu-like symptoms in the Infant classes. All other classes will continue physical classes at school.”
The principal urged parents to keep their children at home if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms or have a fever.
“We urge all parents to keep talking to their child/children about safety during a pandemic. Please do not hesitate to contact the principal or your class teacher if you have any queries/ concerns,” Ghany wrote.
Last week seven pupils from the San Fernando ASJA Primary school and one from the Dayanand Memorial Primary School tested positive for the virus.
Contacted for comment on Friday, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said since schools opened in February 2021, there have been cases.
“The principals are supported in the management of these cases by the staff of the Education District Health Unit. There are clear guidelines for COVID-19 case management, which all principals have been apprised of, which include communication to the school community,” she said.