Bahrain schools on swine flu alert

Thousands of children will return to private schools in Bahrain for the start of the new academic year.

Several primary and secondary schools told our sister newspaper Gulf Daily News they were expecting full attendance, despite the threat of swine flu, which has already claimed the lives of three people in Bahrain.

Today and tomorrow around 2,500 new and returning students will resume their studies for the first time at St Christopher's Junior and Senior schools in Saar and Isa Town.

A school spokeswoman said officials were closely following the directives of the Health Ministry and continuously communicating with parents.

'We have everything in place in accordance with the ministry's guidelines and are expecting a full attendance of students this week,' she said.

'We are doing all that the ministry has advised and more regarding the treatment of swine flu.'

An updated statement on the school's website also informed parents that St Christopher's had purchased 195 hand sanitisers as well as several contact-less thermometers which will be used to monitor any individual entering its premises.

'In light of the additional ministry requirement announced on August 31, the temperature must also now be taken of all parents and housemaids who enter the site each morning,' it stated.

'Could parents please consider whether you or a housemaid really need to enter the school site with your children in the morning - if not, then please allow them to enter the main site by themselves.'

The statement also pointed out that the junior school's side gate on the eastern side of the Saar campus will remain closed while temperature readings are being taken, with students having to enter via the two major entrances near the main road.

Bahrain Bayan School director general Nakhle Wehbe said he also expected a full turnout, with secondary school pupils due to start the new term today and the primary school opening its doors tomorrow.

'At the end of the day it is the parents' decision to send their children to school, but I am expecting a full turn-out as classes return this week,' he said.

Shaikha Hessa Girls School paediatrician Dr Maha Atwa added parents had been kept informed of the ongoing procedures at the school and insisted everything was in place to deal with the situation.

An Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School statement on its website confirmed that all students and staff would have their temperatures monitored upon entering the school and two isolation rooms had been set up to contain the spread of the virus, if detected.

'A team of 11 staff members have also been trained directly by the Health Ministry on how to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus at the school,' it said.

Meanwhile, British School director Bill Frost informed parents via a letter on the school's website that following government advice they had made the decision to delay the school's opening until after Eid.

'In line with the Health and Education ministries' strategy to prevent the spread of H1N1 virus in Bahrain, it has been recommended that schools delay the start of term until September 27,' it said.

A number of other private schools - including the Indian School, the New Indian School and the Pakistan School - have already made the decision to delay the start of the academic year until after Eid to avoid clashing with Ramadan and to lower the threat of the H1N1 virus.

It was announced last month that government schools would begin the new academic year after the Eid holidays on September 27.

There are 205 government schools accommodating 126,000 students and 60 private schools currently operating in Bahrain.

The GDN reported on Friday that Bahrain University had pushed back its start of the year by more than 10 days due to swine flu and would now begin on September 27.

Meanwhile, an Education Ministry source confirmed a joint decision between the Health and Education ministries to postpone classes in nurseries, kindergartens and rehabilitation centres for children with special needs until October 4.

He explained that the move followed a report by the World Health Organisation, which suggested that children under the age of six were more susceptible to contracting the virus.

The source said all students under the age of six, regardless of whether they were attending an independent kindergarten or part of a school would have their term dates postponed.

'The report said children aged six and under are more prone to catching swine flu than older children,' he added.

'Therefore, after a meeting between the ministries, the decision was made.'

The decision, announced on Friday, was made to give both ministries additional time to take necessary precautions, the source added.

Lilliput Pre-school principal Angela Salman voiced her concern at the way that the announcement was made, admitting she only found out about the postponement in yesterday's GDN and had been inundated by calls from concerned parents.

'I'm supposed to be starting on Monday but we have no real idea about what is going on now,' she said.

'We don't know whether this decision applies to us, we've had no response from the ministry and nobody seems to be picking up the phone.

'We need to know whether it applies to everybody and whether we're included.'

Around 50 children from years one to four attend the school and Ms Salman remains unconvinced that delaying the beginning of term will be a positive move in the long run.

'If we go back in October how do we know whether it's going to be any better or any worse,' she asked.

'I think it's clear that the ministries are concerned and rightly so as people are starting to die from this virus.

'But the real solution is for parents to be a bit more careful and not use schools as a dumping ground.

'It's no good giving a child a dose of Calpol and sending them in with a fever - things like this just help the virus spread.'

Little Gems Pre-school in Barbar also announced that they would be closed until further notice following the Education Ministry's directive.

Bahrain's Philippine School was the first educational establishment where a suspected swine flu case resulted in its closure for a week.

The move was taken after a 12-year-old student, who just returned from the Philippines, was diagnosed with the virus in July. The school was originally advised to remain open as normal, but after monitoring the situation for a few days the Health Ministry ordered its closure.

The student made a full recovery after being treated at the Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo Community Health Centre in Zinj and the school re-opened on August 9.