Christ Church School

Patna, Nov. 25: The death of Class X student Mohit Gupta on the premises of Christ Church Diocesan School has triggered panic among parents of other students.

The fear of their wards not getting quick medical attention in schools has forced the parents to think of ways they can ensure proper care on campus.

A few guardians, in fact, are volunteering to pay extra fee if the school agrees to appoint a doctor to attend to the students.

Kamal Jain, a parent, said: “If we can pay extra for computer and other things, then why can’t we do the same for a doctor in the school? Some amount can be charged from every ward.”

Most parents are of the opinion that Mohit could have been saved had a doctor been present on the school premises.

Even the CBSE guidelines for schools specify that a doctor has to be present on school premises or be reachable on call when the classes are going on. Also a sick room and first-aid box in the school as well as in the school buses and other vehicles are mandatory in all CBSE schools.

This had been done primarily to provide first-aid to the sick students. But not many schools have implemented this provision. Not only CBSE, even ICSE-affiliated schools are not taking such precautionary measures. Most of the schools have a sick room for the sake of formality with not much medical facilities.

Sindhu Singh, Mother of a Class IX student

Sucheta Shekhar, treasurer, Mama’s Club, Notre Dame Academy, said: “If schools can have a sick room, then why can they not have a medical practitioner?”

She suggested that the schools could charge Rs 50 from every ward for appointing a doctor. Shekhar said: “I don’t think any guardian would mind giving the amount for such a healthy cause.”

Sindhu Singh, mother of a Class IX student, said: “We don’t mind paying extra money for our child as far as health is considered. We want our child to return safe from school and this is even more important than education. Paying Rs 50 extra for the same won’t affect our budget.”

Sindhu insisted that all schools should have a doctor. She said: “One never knows what mishap occurs when. It’s always better to take precautions. If the school has a doctor, tension would be reduce to a great extent.”

Not all schools are lagging behind on the health front. A.C. Jain, the principal of DAV, Khagaul, said: “We have all the facilities so that if any emergency occurs, we can do the maximum possible for the benefit of the child.”

O.P. Singh, vice-principal, Patna Central School, said that the school not only has doctor but also a compounder and an ambulance to ensure fastest treatment to the ailing child.

A guardian, who was not willing to be named, said: “These schools simply try to take maximum amount of money from the guardians. But when it comes to providing them with facilities, they come up with almost nothing at all.”

BOX

Guardians demand for medical practitioner in the schools seeing Mohit�s death.

They don�t mind paying for that.

All of them return their children want the basic most facility in the schools.k � �¦¦ ·¦¦ ·