Schools welcome students back

| | NEW DELHI
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Schools welcome students back

Thursday, 02 September 2021 | Staff Reporter | NEW DELHI

Delhi schools re-opened on Wednesday nearly 17 months after shutting down because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Students of classes 9 to 12 returned to schools with strict Covid protocols. Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia said that parents who are reluctant to send their children to school for offline classes are risking their education and their future.

He said the turnout on the first day of opening of schools after a prolonged break lasting over 17 months was sparse because of the fear of infection among parents.

 The turnout was also affected by the heavy rainfall in the city which threw all traffic out of gear. However, despite all these issues a significant number of children attended school.

 “Everyone is in alert mode regarding the health of the children,” Sisodia said and gave strict instructions to schools and to follow all Covid protocols.

 “There has been a lot of damage to the education of the children. If schools and colleges are not opened now, then an entire generation will move forward with a knowledge gap. We are in full alert mode and it will be ensured that  all schools follow Covid protocols and social distancing. Based on the experiences of the first round, the decision on opening the school for other classes will be taken,” the Education Minister said.

The AAP leader has given strict instructions to school administrations and Government officials. “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. Many experts were of the opinion that the risk of Coronavirus in children is low. Keeping this in view, schools can be opened for primary classes starting from 100-150 schools. But, the Government will decide to open schools for primary classes only on the basis of the experience of opening schools for the higher grades,” he added.

Furthermore, Deputy CM Sisodia also notified that teaching will not begin immediately once schools and colleges start. In the first few days, work will be done on their social-emotional well-being through dialogue so that the children can be brought out of this mentally unsettling phase.

“Due to non-opening of schools and colleges, the college campus was confined to a room in the student’s house. The education of children is not only in their syllabus, but going to college is also a part of their studies. This helps in their social and professional development.”

The Delhi Government had sought suggestions from parents through email to reopen schools, in which more than 70 per cent parents said schools should be reopened.

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