Delhi: Schools, colleges, gyms to reopen next week, 100% staff allowed at offices
New Delhi: As Covid cases continue to decline in the Capital, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Friday decided to reopen schools for Classes 9 to 12 from February 7 onwards and allowed all higher education institutes to operate offline along with easing the night curfew timings and allowing gyms, spas and swimming pools to reopen as well.
The DDMA has relaxed the night curfew, which will now kick in at 11 pm instead of 10 pm. Gyms, spas and swimming pools can also resume services from February 7, officials said, adding that government and private offices can now function with 100 per cent staff.
The DDMA also said that B2B (Business to Business) exhibitions can now take place as well, adding that all activities must be undertaken with strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour.
After the DDMA meeting on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced that in the first phase, physical classes for grades 9-12 will be resumed in a 'hybrid model' which will gradually become completely offline and in the second phase, classes for nursery to Grade 8 will resume from February 14 onwards.
The DDMA order said that parental consent will be required for students to attend physical classes and that heads of schools must ensure this. Moreover, addressing a key concern of parents, the DDMA has also allowed school transportation services to resume with Covid guidelines.
"Prolonged school closures have resulted in significant learning losses among students of all ages. Students' social and emotional well-being has also suffered. Thus, reopening schools is an urgent necessity," Sisodia said.
He further said that all classes in colleges and higher education institutes will be conducted in offline mode from February 7 and since the positivity rate has dropped significantly and the majority of the population, including children aged 15 to 18, has been vaccinated, the government is in a position to relax the COVID restrictions.
"It has been decided that all colleges in Delhi will reopen on February 7, and studies will be completely shifted from online to offline mode. In this sequence, it was decided at the DDMA meeting that skill training institutes and coach institutes could reopen on Monday," he said.
The Minister added that easing the COVID restrictions will help the government bring lives back on track and will help in recouping the losses incurred during the COVID lockdown.
"Schools and colleges have been asked to prepare for the return of students in this sequence. The administration must ensure that all staffers are fully vaccinated at the campus, especially those dealing with students of nursery to class 8," the Delhi government said in a statement.
The Deputy Chief Minister added that the relaxation in the night curfew timings will allow restaurants, eateries and bars one more hour of business.
Due to the restrictions, the operators of gyms, spas, and swimming pools have suffered greatly as a result of the prolonged closure of the facilities, the Minister said. "Along with this, athletes were having difficulty preparing for their games and as a result, it has been decided that all gyms, spas, and swimming pools will be open on Monday, and B2B exhibitions will be permitted," he added.
