Srinagar: Is GD Goenka School actually ready to start reopening for students? On Wednesday, another person at the school tested positive, taking the overall tally to nine. With just a few days left for its reopening (on March 8), and results of dozens of Covid-19 tests of its staff members awaited, fear among parents and staff members is only increasing.
Sources told Kashmir Reader that in another round of rapid tests at the school, another person has tested positive.
The school principal, who is a non-resident Kashmiri, and one of his academic coordinators had first developed symptoms, then both tested positive. Thereafter the numbers have only gone up.
The new case has been identified as of a family member of the principal who is being treated at Chest Diseases hospital in Srinagar.
“These rising number of cases and awaited results of a number of the staff means that there are more cases in the school undetected. What we know is that we don’t know who the carrier of the virus is. We also know that tests do not tell us about the time when the person was positive, or when can he turn positive. The answer to these questions is important, but in their absence, it means there is the virus. This makes it very risky for students,” said one parent, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Another parent told Kashmir Reader that they have approached the school authorities about the same but, instead, the the school has asked them to give in writing that they will be responsible for their wards. The school, like others in Kashmir, has sent an undertaking to be signed by parents in which parents have been asked to assume responsibility if “anything untoward happens” to students or if they contract/develop an infection.
Many staff members of Goenka school told Kashmir Reader that the school administration is also asking them to be present in the school until their test results are declared. For those members who had to be in isolation at home, the school is most likely going to deduct the salary, they said.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz