NEW DELHI: Several schools in the national capital are set to reopen for all classes from Monday after remaining closed for 19 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while many have chosen to defer the reopening to post-festive week.’
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) last week announced that schools would reopen for all classes from November 1, even though teaching and learning would continue in a blended mode. The DDMA also said that schools would have to ensure that there is not more than 50 per cent attendance in a class at one point of time and no student is forced to attend physical classes.
While government schools have been reporting over 80 per cent attendance after they reopened classes for classes 9 to 12 in September, private schools are in the process of sending out consent forms to parents and most of them will decide their plan of action post-Diwali.
MRG School, Rohini said it is waiting for staff readiness, with both doses of vaccination. Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh said it will reopen after Diwali. Other private schools to reopen after Diwali are DAV Public School, Pushpanjali Enclave, Indian School, Pitampura, among others Allowing only 50 per cent students per classroom, mandatory thermal screening, staggered lunch breaks, alternate seating arrangement and avoiding routine guest visits are among the guidelines announced by the DDMA for the reopening of schools.
The DDMA said students, teachers and non-teaching staff living in Covid containment zones will not be allowed to come to schools and colleges. It has also said the area being used for activities like ration distribution and vaccination should be kept separated.