J&K schools open, but parents have to own responsibility if Covid hits their children

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 21

At a time when Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an extraordinary surge in Covid-19 cases and fatalities, the UT administration has opened its schools from Monday demanding an unprecedented and bizarre bond from parents  to own all the responsibility if anything “untoward” happens or the virus infects their children.

J&K has already reported more than 1,000 deaths and nearly 64,000 coronavirus cases.

The administration, in the process, has kept itself free of any responsibility.

The parents have to fill in a form that mentions they will not hold anyone responsible if their children are hit by coronavirus during the school timings .

“I shall be personally responsible, if there is any untoward incident, like coronavirus infection, with my ward. I shall not blame anybody in the school for such an incident," reads the undertaking. It means any extreme situation arising for the children in the school would be the sole responsibility of the parents and not that of government that is forcing this undertaking down the throat of the parents, virtually telling them to court the grave risks for their children.

The second part of the undertaking puts onus of social distancing and hygiene on the children. The parents have to give in writing that their children will "follow all the guidelines and maintain complete social distancing  and hygiene to ensure safety and health.”

The administration has also shrugged off all its responsibility as the written consent demands parents to undertake that “my daughter/son shall follow the SOPs of the government rules regarding  Covid-19 by taking proper precautions.” And it also makes it mandatory for the parents to provide mask and hand sanitizer to their wards, as per guidelines of the government.

The parents will also have to give an undertaking that the children will not wear belt, rings, wrist watch when they go to school.