Delhi schools to reopen tomorrow after prolonged closure, many to defer

Several schools in the national capital are set to reopen tomorrow while many have chosen to adopt a wait-and-watch approach and will be calling students only after a few weeks

Several schools in the national capital are set to reopen tomorrow after prolonged closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic while many have chosen to adopt a wait-and-watch approach and will be calling students only after a few weeks.

Following a marked improvement in the Covid situation in the national capital, the Delhi government on Friday had announced that schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching institutions would reopen from September 1.

The Delhi government had clarified that no student would be forced to attend physical classes and the consent of parents would be mandatory.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took to Twitter saying "Team Education" is prepared to reopen schools safely.

"Only 20 per cent of the students have so far sent their parents consent forms. We will wait till we have at least 50 per cent student strength... the reopening plan is deferred for a few weeks," said the principal of a top school who did not wish to be identified.

Mount Carmel School in Dwarka too does not plan to reopen for at least a month as its complete staff is not vaccinated yet and online learning will continue.

"We are not prepared to open our schools right now. They haven't started vaccinating children and all my staff is not vaccinated. We are still in the middle of a pandemic. We are not going to take a chance," said Michael Williams, Dean of Mount Carmel School.

"It is being said that Zydus has launched its vaccine for 12-18-year-olds. I think it is much smarter to wait for another two months. We have waited for long and we can wait some more," he added.

Meanwhile, Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh is set to welcome students from Wednesday, however, they are not going to provide buses yet and students will have to come on their own.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday notified the guidelines for reopening of schools, colleges and coaching institutions.

Allowing only 50 per cent students per classroom, mandatory thermal screening, staggered lunch breaks, alternate seating arrangement and avoiding routine guest visits are among the guidelines announced by the DDMA for reopening of schools and colleges from September 1.

The DDMA has said students, teachers and non-teaching staff living in Covid containment zones will not be allowed to come to schools and colleges.

While the government has noted that the vaccination centres and activities like ration distribution which were going on in different schools will continue, the DDMA said the area being used for these activities should be separated from the area which will be used for academic activities.