NEW DELHI: Schools and colleges in Delhi will finally reopen for physical classes on Monday, with the Delhi government relaxing Covid-19 restrictions in view of the slide in cases. In a decision that brought cheer to student and teacher fraternities as well as parents, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), at a meeting headed by its chairman and Lt-Governor Anil Baijal on Friday, allowed the reopening of educational institutions, including coaching centres, from February 7.
Gyms, spas, swimming pools and yoga institutes have also been allowed to open. All offices, both private and government, can now operate at full capacity and business to business (B2B) exhibitions have also been permitted. Night curfew timing has been reduced by an hour and it will now come into effect from 11 pm instead of 10 pm. Restaurants and bars can stay open till 11 pm.
Besides, divers travelling alone in vehicles will be exempted from wearing masks. Briefing the media after the DDMA meeting, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced that in the first phase, classes for Grades 9-12 will be resumed in a ‘hybrid model’ and in the second phase classes for nursery to Grade 8 will resume from February 14.
“Since the positivity rate has dropped significantly and the majority of the population, including children aged 14 to 18, has been vaccinated, we are now in a position to relax Covid restrictions,” Sisodia said. Vibha Singh, member of the municipal corporation teachers’ association, said, “We are happy because the children will now return to schools. The KG and nursery students haven’t even seen their schools.”
Classes in Delhi University colleges will be conducted in offline mode with V-C Yogesh Singh saying students will be given a few days’ time to return to campus since a majority of them are from other states.
The fresh lifting of restrictions were greeted with applause by the stakeholders. Restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani said easing the restriction will “help us recouping the losses”, but was a tad disappointed that night curfew was not lifted.
Classes up to 8 from Feb 14, says Sisodia
“Schools will reopen for classes 9-12 from February 7 and for nursery to 8 from February 14. The classes will continue to be in a hybrid mode,” Manish Sisodia said. “However, colleges will be discouraged to hold online classes and should start offline teaching.”