CAIRO: After several swine flu-driven delays that extended summer vacation to more than three months, students around Egypt finally kicked off the school year on Saturday. Their first day back amid a global swine flu pandemic saw tightened precautionary measures and advisories from the Ministries of Health and Education, urging students to wash their hands regularly and stay home if they exhibit flu symptoms. Health ministry officials inspecting schools around the country were shocked to find some schools with no access to running water. "Even though they count for less than 10 percent of the schools, this is something major that we are going to deal with right away, said Amr Kandil, deputy minister of health for precautionary measures. Parents dropping off their children at Gamal Abdel Nasser National School in Heliopolis were furious at the sight of surrounding garbage. "They repeatedly tell children to wash their hands - what difference will that make with all this garbage around them containing all sorts of viruses, said one parent who preferred to stay anonymous. Student turnout at the American section of the Sheraton Language School was low, but not out of the ordinary for the first day of the year. "Parents know that the first day is all orientation and that work starts on the second day, so usually attendance is very low, Heba El-Sayad, assistant deputy head at the American section, said. Precautionary measures taken by the school included a parents' orientation last week where they learned about "swine flu and the things they should send with their children to school: wipes, soap, Kleenex, El-Sayad said, as well as stressing the importance of wash their hands. "You can smell Dettol everywhere and the cleaning ladies are constantly going around making sure everything is clean and hygienic, she added. A representative from the Ministry of Health was at the school the first day to make sure hygiene standards are up to par. The official also made a list of students' names and addresses in order to send them a note about the swine flu vaccine. The ministry representative also checked classrooms to make sure they are well ventilated and that the school dedicated a holding room where anyone exhibiting flu symptoms will be kept until examined by a health official. Numerous posters from the health ministry explaining the virus and preventative measures hang on the school walls and have been distributed to students. Student turnout was high at the national section of the Sheraton Language School with an almost perfect attendance. However, teachers said they received phone calls from parents asking if it was alright to keep their children at home the first week. "We are right on schedule, said Principal Zolfa Samih Hamdy. "One student showed up with flu-like symptoms but we sent her home right away.we didn't want to take any risks, she added. In a word of caution to parents, Kandil said: "A person will only get swine flu if they catch it from someone else, so if anyone thinks they are coming down with the flu they should stay home.
