‘Schools not helping increase kids’ immunity’

PCMC health chief Dr Anil Roy said children need at least 8 hours of sleep which will increase their immunity to fight disease.

Even as swine flu cases are rising in Pune, parents are increasingly concerned about the well-being of their school-going children. The schools, on their part, seem to be limiting themselves to sending a child home if he or she is suffering from cough, cold and fever.

“Do not send your child to school if the child has fever and cough…” read an SMS sent by a Khadki school to parents. But parents from different schools in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Khadki are asking whether the role of schools ends by sending a child back.

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“Are schools only supposed to adopt negative tactics? Is it not the duty of schools to help increase the immunity of children to fight swine flu,” asks Ikhlas Sayyed, a resident of Akurdi.

Education Commissioner Purushottam Bhapkar said schools should make more efforts towards safeguarding the children’s health. “We will soon hold a meeting of school principals to sensitive them about the need to also focus on health of children,” he said.

Several parents say school timings force children to attend classes on empty stomachs and this impacts any effort to increase their immunity and keeping them healthy. “Children leave home as early as 6 am. Schools want children to fill their stomachs in a hurry before catching their school bus. This is ridiculous,” says Shankar T, a resident of Bopodi.

What is more shocking is, say parents, is that children are forced to eat tiffin boxes packed at 6 am. “By the time children open their tiffin boxes, the food goes cold and soggy. But the hapless children have no option but to gulp it down,” says Pradnya C, a parent.

A year ago, some parents had brought the plight to the notice of Education Department which “did nothing about it”. However, the Education Commissioner on Sunday said he would discuss school timings with the principals.

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Since last year, Newsline has highlighted the concerns of parents about the health of students, especially with regard to the ‘cruel’ early morning timings when students have to attend schools on empty stomachs. The D Y Patil school and the Spicer schools brought some relief to students by altering their early morning timings. Similarly, Priyadarshani school in Bhosari said from next year, they will have afternoon schools in a bid to ensure the health of children is not affected.

PCMC health chief Dr Anil Roy said children need at least eight hours of sleep which will increase their immunity to fight disease.

“Parents should ensure that children sleep before 9.30 pm so that they get 8 hours of sleep.” However, some parents say in this ‘technology’ age when there is constant flow of information, they cannot force their child to sleep.

Roy said as per the government advisory, all schools had been told to cancel annual gatherings and guide children about washing their hands frequently, use mask and avoid coming to schools if unwell. He said schools have been told not to ask for medical certificates if the child has not come to school because of an illness.“We have held lectures in over 300 schools and colleges across Pimpri-Chinchwad to enlighten teachers and students about fighting swine flu,” he said.

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Domnic Lobo, who runs a school in Sangvi area, said, “It is the duty of education officials to sensitise schools about the need to take care of their students,” he said.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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