With the scare of third wave looming over, many parents across the country are sceptical about sending their kids to schools, at till the kids are vaccinated as well. But, the Delhi government has allowed the reopening of schools for Classes 9 to 12 from today. Sharing the thought behind the decision, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said further delay in reopening of schools would have led an entire generation to suffer.
While talking to NDTV, Manish Sisodia said students have already suffered academically, and otherwise. "We all are concerned about their health... but also about their studies," he said.
"Pandemic has thrown a lot of challenges our way. It may be called a risky decision but the students are already at risk by not being able to access adequate resources they need. If this decision was delayed any further, an entire generation would suffer knowledge gap," Manish Sisodia told NDTV. The Delhi government also plans to run bridge courses for students who have lost a critical year due to the pandemic.
Manish Sisodia said the decision was taken after consulting health experts and parents as well as analysing the experience of other states after reopening of schools.
"The decision to reopen the schools was taken consulting health experts and parents, analysing the experience of other states after reopening of schools and accordingly the COVID-19 protocols were designed," the Deputy CM told news agency ANI.
Last month, over 25 students were tested positive for COVID-19 in Punjab. On this issue Sisodia said, "If there is a surge in COVID-19 cases among students in Delhi, then it would hardly take 30 minutes to take decision to close the schools." Talking about the migration of students from private schools to government, he said, "The Delhi government has taken responsibility of giving education to all the students."
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday notified the guidelines for reopening of schools, colleges and coaching institutions.
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 reopening of schools and colleges from September 1.
The DDMA has said students, teachers and non-teaching staff living in Covid containment zones will not be allowed to come to schools and colleges.
While the government has noted that the vaccination centres and activities like ration distribution which were going on in different schools will continue, the DDMA said the area being used for these activities should be separated from the area which will be used for academic activities.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
