The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said last week that schools would reopen for all sessions from November 1, continuing teaching and learning in a hybrid mode.
Several schools in the national capital are set to reopen for all classes from Monday after being closed for 19 months due to the COVID-19 epidemic, while many have decided to postpone reopening in the post-festival week. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) announced last week that schools for all classes would reopen from November 1, although teaching and learning will continue in mixed mode.
The DDMA also said that schools need to ensure that no more than 50 percent attendance is allowed in a class at a time and no student will be forced to attend a physical class.
Public schools are reporting more than 80 per cent attendance after reopening in classes 9 to 12 in September, private schools are in the process of sending consent forms to parents and most of them will decide their action plan after Diwali.
MRG School, Rohini said it was “waiting for staff to prepare” for both doses of the vaccine. Modern Public School, Shalimar Bug says it will reopen after Diwali. Other private schools that will reopen after Diwali are DAV Public School, Pushpanjali Enclave, Indian School and Bal Bharati School, Pitampura etc.
The guidelines announced by the DDMA include reopening schools, allowing only 50 percent of students per classroom, mandatory thermal screening, paused lunch break, alternative seating arrangements and avoiding regular guest visits.
The DDMA said students, teachers and non-teaching staff living in the Kovid Containment Zone would not be allowed to attend schools and colleges.
It further states that the area used for activities such as ration distribution and vaccination should be separated from the area used for academic activities.
Schools in Delhi were ordered to close in March last year before a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the epidemic. After several states started partial reopening of schools in October last year, the Delhi government allowed physical classes for only 9-12 classes in January this year, which was again suspended after a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases during the aggressive second wave.
Following the significant improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, the Delhi government announced the reopening of schools, colleges and coaching institutes for classes 9 to 12 from September 1.
(PTI)