Schools, colleges to reopen in Delhi from Nov 1

New Delhi: After 19 months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools in the national capital will reopen from November 1 for all classes with 50 percent student strength, though classes will continue in the hybrid mode and no student will be forced to attend them offline, the Delhi Government said on Wednesday.

While many principals and heads of school associations welcomed the decision of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), saying it was taken at "just the right time", others felt it was "delayed".

Parents, however, were divided on the issue with some calling it necessary to make up for the learning loss and others raising concerns about COVID-19 risk amid festivities and rising pollution levels. Some also expressed concern about several schools not providing transport when they reopened for classes 9 to 12.

All other educational institutions will also reopen from Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, announcing the decision taken at a meeting of the DDMA, and noted that the COVID-19 situation is under control in Delhi but "we cannot let our guard down".

The Delhi government had earlier announced the reopening of schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching institutions from September 1 following a marked improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital.

However, this is the first time that schools will reopen for classes up to class 8 after the outbreak of the epidemic.

Sisodia said that due to school closure there has been an unprecedented loss of learning for the children.

"This was also stated by experts in the DDMA meeting that making up for this loss will not be easy. Therefore, it has been decided that all schools should be reopened for all classes from November 1," he said at a press conference.

Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, said as an expert committee had recommended, no parent will be forced to send their wards to school and education will continue in blended or hybrid mode (both online and offline classes).

"Schools will have to ensure that not more than 50 percent of the students in a class should be called to schools and all the staff is required to be fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

"Schools will also be required to make sure that their teaching and non-teaching staff is get vaccinated," he said.

Quoting the figures shared in the DDMA meeting, Sisodia said around 98 percent of the teaching and non-teaching staff has received at least the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Asked about the concerns of a possible third wave, the Education Minister said, "If the situation turns bad, schools can always be asked to go back to online mode. It will depend on the situation". The SOP related to the opening of these schools will be issued by the government soon.

Schools in the national capital were ordered to shut last year in March ahead of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Coronavirus.