Parents concerned over exam centres in containment zones

Vellore

Though total lockdown has ended some time ago in Vaniyambadi and Ambur, the recent return of COVID-19 positive people from hotspot Chennai has complicated the ground situation said Collector MP Sivan Arul.

As a result, two days ago, two schools, a municipal high school at Konamedu in Vaniyambadi town and a higher secondary school at Udayendram were declared containment zones. As both schools have students from surrounding villages, parents expressed apprehension about sending their wards to isolation areas for class 10 exam.

While teachers said they have been asked to report about it on June 8 Monday, Vellore CEO S Mars said, “we will ready a list of students and teachers living in containment zones by Monday. Arrangements have been made for special vehicles to transport such persons to special centers where they will participate in the exams after which they will dropped back at their homes.”

However, the Collector and the education officer differ over the number days of quarantine in containment zones. The Collector said it was 14 days and the official said government had reduced it to 7 days.

But, Tirupattur officials were apprehensive that the situation could change if more people from Chennai - to escape the pandemic - make a beeline to Tirupattur or any of its towns. “Specially, those who arrive by two wheelers from Chennai are able to enter towns without going through check posts. We are able to identify them only after information about their arrival reach us from self-help group members,” Collector Sivan Arul said.

“However, as hall tickets are being generated now we will be able to know shortly the actual number of students/teachers in containment zones,” he added.