Schools and colleges in Delhi reopened on Wednesday for physical classes after being closed for 1.5 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in classes 9 to 12, colleges, universities and coaching institutes have been allowed to go for offline classes, following health and safety measures.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister said children came to schools on the first day despite the heavy rainfall in the national capital, which shows that they were eagerly waiting for the school to reopen.
The minister said everyone is in alert mode regarding the health and safety of the children. He reiterated that no one will be forced to come to schools and classes will continue online as well.
“No school can force children to attend school without parental approval. Also, all the academic activities will continue to run offline as well as online in a blended manner. Parents will also gradually develop the confidence to send their children to school.”
“Schools were closed for the last 1.5 years due to the pandemic. During this time, there has been a lot of damage to the education of the children. We are concerned about the health of the children but also their education. If schools and colleges are not opened now, then an entire generation will move forward with a knowledge gap. We are in full alert mode and it will be ensured in all schools that COVID related protocols and social distancing are followed. Based on the experiences of the first round, the decision on opening the school for other classes will be taken,” Mr Sisodia said.
“Government officials and school administration are fully alert. It will be ensured that all schools follow COVID protocol and social distancing. At present, schools are being opened with 50 per cent capacity, but once these protocols become a habit among children, schools will be opened with full capacity,” he added.
The Deputy CM informed that teaching-learning will not begin immediately once schools start. In the first two to three days, “work will be done on their (students') social-emotional well-being through dialogue so that the children can be brought out of this mentally unsettling phase.”
Mr Sisodia said experts were of the view that the risk of Covid in children is low and schools can open for primary classes as well, staring with 100-150 schools. “But, the Government will decide to open schools for primary classes only on the basis of the experience of opening schools for the higher grades,” the minister said.
Prior to reopening schools, the Delhi government had sought suggestions from stakeholders and according to the Education Minister, more than 70 per cent of the parents wanted schools to reopen.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had also formed a panel that suggested a phased reopening of educational institutions, starting with higher classes.
