CAIRO: MP Osama Gado said the precautionary measures laid down by the government against H1N1 are in line with the trend of "random and confusing government decisions that drown out the crisis. Gado, a Muslim Brotherhood leader in Alexandria, said that the Egyptian government "suffers from a chronic problem in crisis management. Gado told Daily News Egypt that he has been following the government's regulations to fight H1N1 for four months and sees them as "immature and confusing to both the executive authorities and the public. He explained that many families are still uncertain about the date schools will start, the duration of classes, the number of classes per week and whether those regulations will affect the curriculum. Gado also asked the Ministry of Education if it will implement the new grading system - by which students final grade will depend on attendance, exams and class participation - in light of H1N1 developments. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education indicated that the curriculum will not undergo any changes and that the new grading system will be implemented. In a press statement, Minister of Education Youssry El-Gamal said that the ministry will be updated via its website about attendance and will monitor the appearance of H1N1 cases among students. Schools are required to register the students' attendance on the ministry's website on a daily basis, with information on the student's full name, class and year. Schools are also required to turn in a daily report on the school's cleanliness. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health said it will provide public schools with thermometers to take students' temperature. In a related note, governor of Gharbeya Abdel Hamid Al-Shinnawy announced that the governorate closed 30 private day care centers and revoked the licenses of 15, where major health violations were reported. In an interview with Egypt's local news program on Wednesday, Al-Shinnawy said that the governorate referred around 143 employees at the daycare centers to the prosecution for investigations. Al-Shinnawy accused the employees of violating health standards in a critical time when the governorate is promoting more hygiene and sanitation to fight H1N1. The government is keeping a close eye on all 924 day care centers in the governorate, he added.
