Delhi schools open gates to excited students

New Delhi: After being shut for over 17 months, with short intermittent periods of controlled reopening, schools in the national Capital on Wednesday opened their gates to welcome students of classes 9 to 12, following the DDMA's guidelines on reopening for physical classes.

Even as strict social distancing and Covid norms were being followed by students excited to see their teachers and classrooms physically, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that any school found to be at risk of a Covid outbreak will be shut down in 30 minutes.

As relatively fewer students made their way to schools amid the heavy downpour on Sunday, they said they were tired of having to attend online classes and missed being in the classroom.

And while Delhi government schools have decided to reopen starting Wednesday, many other schools have decided to take a wait-and-watch approach. A senior official in the Delhi government said, "Not all private schools have opened their doors as they fear that cases may spread. Some parents are scared as well which could be another reason."

Sisodia who is also the Education Minister assured that all officials and authorities are in alert mode regarding the health of the children and the COVID protocols with proper social distancing being followed.

"If schools and colleges are not opened now, then an entire generation will move forward with a knowledge gap.

Based on the experiences of the first round, the decision on opening the school for other classes will be taken. 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 said.