By INVERA ARJOON Friday, October 23 2009

THE National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA) is against a suggestion by Maha Sabha Secretary General Sat Maharaj that the current school term be curtailed as a means of minimising the spread of the Influenze A/H1N1 (swine flu) virus.

The NPTA’s stance was made while the Tunapuna Hindu School, Caroni Hindu School and Jerningham Government Primary School in Cunupia were all closed yesterday due to confirmed cases of swine flu in the student population of these schools.

NPTA president Zeena Ramatali said the association was not in agreement with Maharaj’s suggestion.

Ramatali said it would be unfair to the students as well as the teachers to have make-up classes during the vacation period, which would be the only available time to do so.

Instead, she said parents needed to follow guidelines set by the Ministries of Education and Health and keep ill children at home. Also, teachers should continue to use assemblies to educate students on proper hygiene. “We are standing by the Ministry of Education on this one,” Ramatali said.

Peter Wilson, General Secretary of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) said the situation keeps changing on a daily basis and “needs to be monitored”.

Also yesterday, there was a drastic increase in the number of students absent at Presentation College, San Fernando. When Newsday visited the school, hardly any students could be seen.

A student who was hospitalised due to a suspected case of swine flu is now being treated at home along with one of his parents who is employed at the school and who has also become ill. The student is expected to receive test results for Influenza A/H1N1 by today from the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC).

There was also an unconfirmed report that a three-year-old boy had tested positive for the swine flu at an Early Childhood Care Education School (ECCE) in South Trinidad.

The majority of students attending the Caroni Hindu School were kept away from classes by their parents yesterday.

According to an official at the Caroni Hindu School, less than half of the 443 student population turned out for classes which prompted the school to be dismissed early.

Reports indicate that one student was confirmed with the Influenza A/H1N1 (Swine Flu) last Thursday when parents decided to keep their children away from classes. That resulted in the low turnout of students although sanitisation work at the school was done.

According to Maharaj, parents would take a decision to keep their children at home as a precautionary measure. He also said there was also a confirmed case at the Tunapuna Hindu School which also prompted a low turn out of students.