Moalims

RAWALPINDI:

The education department has served show-cause notices on 16 primary schools for not observing anti-dengue guidelines.

The institutes include seven from Rawalpindi, four from Gujar Khan, three from Taxila and two from Kotli Sattian.

Deputy District Education Officer (DEO) Amjad Mehmood said the department would lodge an FIR if any unregistered private school was found violating the guidelines.

EDO (education) Qazi Zahoorul Haq said 81 confirmed dengue cases had been reported in the district so far, the highest in Punjab this year. “Only six or seven cases surfaced in Faisalabad and 30 or so in Lahore. Rawalpindi is at serious risk,” he said.

Dengue surveillance is being carried out in the district.

Haq said the Punjab chief secretary has suspended two grade-19 head teachers of Government High School AOC Morgah and Government Boys High School Elliot Morgah after dengue larvae were found there by surveillance teams.

The DEO said teaching staff in all government schools have been directed to remain at school till 6pm and make sure the premises are free from possible dengue breeding sites.

“The Punjab government has directed all schools to conduct a zero period to raise awareness among pupils,” Mehmood said, adding schools have been directed to plant trees that curb dengue growth such as lemon grass, mint and marigold.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6th, 2015.