Excitement & caution as tiny tots, middle schoolers back in classrooms

New Delhi: From tiny tots to junior wing students, children in Delhi were excited to be back in schools on Monday after the prolonged closure of over 19 months due to the coronavirus pandemic. While several schools reopened with 50 per cent strength on Monday, the majority of privately-run schools have deferred the reopening to post-Diwali.

In fact, as younger children returned to classrooms across Delhi government and SDMC-run schools, the North MCD and East MCD have chosen to keep schools for primary classes closed for the time being.

According to government officials, students came to schools in large numbers but they practiced a lot of caution — masks, thermal scanning, and volunteers guiding staggered entry and exit for students were common sights at the schools.

Some schools welcomed the students with dance and music, while others decided to screen films like "Tare Zameen Par" for the students. Many other activities were also organised to help the children connect with their schools, before resuming physical classes. "It was an emotional moment to see students laughing and enjoying in classrooms. We welcome all students back to school," Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the childhood of kids is incomplete without visiting schools. "We have to leave the tough time behind and move on," he tweeted in Hindi.

Sisodia, also Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish, visited the Rajkiya Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in East Delhi's Vinod Nagar and interacted with students.

"Finally!! It's time to come back to school. Today children have returned to schools after almost one and half year... We welcome all students back to school," Sisodia tweeted. At the school's primary wing, Sisodia spent time with children where one student turned doctor for him while the education minister played a patient.

Sisodia said the students are already facing a knowledge gap, which would only widen if schools were not reopened now. The government is alert and committed to ensure children's health and safety. It will be ensured that all schools follow all COVID-19 protocols and observe social distancing. If there is any third wave or rise in cases, schools can be closed again, he said.

Nikita Sharma, Education Committee Chairperson of the SDMC said students and teachers are following Covid protocols very seriously. "Moreover, we have ensured that all schools are well maintained, we also fogged the schools," she added.

At the Government CO-ED Senior Secondary School, Lajpat Nagar, a class 8 student said, "I am excited to attend school regularly henceforth. It felt good to be back after almost two years."

"We are excited to come back to school finally, we spent a lot of time at home. With all the Covid protocols in place, I think it is time for us to start attending offline classes." Riya Mishra, a student at a Delhi government school said. Teachers at many Delhi government schools said even though the attendance was low on the first day of reopening, they expect more students after Diwali. They said they are making all efforts required to bring them back to classrooms just like earlier but this time keeping Covid-19 protocols in practice.

Following a marked improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, the Delhi government had announced the reopening of schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching institutions from September 1, after which younger classes have been reopened from Monday.

With inputs from satvika mahajan