Private schools in Bangalore want to charge additional ‘Covid fees’ to cover the costs of sanitisation and disinfection necessary once students return to campus from September 21. The Centre recently announced standard operating procedures for schools to follow, which included deep cleaning of premises that had been used as Covid facilities and sanitisation of buildings.

Private school managements suggests that reopening of schools will be a huge responsibility on them as they have to ensure the safety of their students if they choose to return. For this, the schools added certain costs and will go up since mandatory Covid protocols state schools will have to clean and disinfect the premises every few hours. Furthermore, areas/surfaces that are frequently used by staff and students — such as railings, desks, chairs and equipment — have to be constantly sanitised.

D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary of Associated Management of English Medium Schools says, “We plan to use 70 per cent alcohol wipes and good disinfectants to ensure the safety of our students. The housekeeping budget may go up by 5 per cent, but in the long run, only our children will benefit.”

Some schools said that charging the additional ‘Covid fees’ from parents will make them aware of the schools’ plans to keep children safe. Kumar added, “It is a genuine expenditure, as housekeeping is going to escalate. We would need thermal scanners, disinfectants and necessary infrastructure.”

Source: The Print

Read: Parents petition Supreme Court against school fee collection during lockdown

Also read: Parents to approach government after Supreme Court dismisses their petition