LAHORE: Eight teachers of various educational institutes of the city tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.

Officials of the District Education Authority (DEA) and town administrations conducted random Covid-19 tests of the teachers in the schools to fulfill the requirement to open schools for primary and middle classes under the second phase.

The government has imposed a condition for opening the schools from grade 1-8 that the school education department will conduct random sampling of the students, teachers and other staff of different schools. The results will be shared with the government to check whether the opening of high and higher secondary schools and colleges result in spreading coronavirus or not.

The government is reassessing the situation of the coronavirus pandemic after opening of the schools and colleges for the students of nine to 12th classes.

The results of the tests were being shared with the government on a daily basis to reassess the situation whether to open educational institutes for primary and middle classes or not. Hundreds of random tests of the teachers and other staff of the educational institutes of the city were conducted and eight teachers tested positive. Two of the teachers are of Government Girls School Raiwind, three of Boys School Thokar Niaz Baig, one of Government High School Awan Town and two of LGS Johar Town.

A School Education Department spokesperson told Dawn that the health officials and town administration were conducting random Covid-19 tests in schools to check the ratio of spread of the disease. He said all teaching and non-teaching staff of the schools were cooperating with the health officials and only eight teachers had been found positive for the coronavirus.

He said the staff of the schools were also following and implementing the SOPs. Action would be taken against the people not cooperating with the health officials visiting the schools to get samples and conduct tests, he said.

Earlier, the government opened schools and colleges for grade 9 to 12 students on Jan 18. As many as 50 per cent of the students have been asked to attend their classes on alternate days. However, the school and college staff will have to ensure 100 per cent attendance.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2021