Delhi schools, colleges to reopen tomorrow for all students

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has allowed the reopening of all Delhi schools, colleges and other educational institutions from November 1 with COVID-19 protocols, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Wednesday.

Sisodia said that schools will have to ensure that classes are conducted in a hybrid mode which means online classes will continue.

Also Read | NEET Result 2021 Live – NTA NEET UG results, answer key shortly at neet.nta.nic.in

"All private and government schools can be reopened from November 1. However, parents cannot be forced to send their ward to schools,” Sisodia said at a press conference after a DDMA meeting, as per a PTI report.

All the schools and educational institutes shall be allowed to be opened, for all the classes, in Delhi from 1st Nov.

However, schools shall also continue online classes for the students who are not willing to attend classes offline.

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) October 27, 2021

The education minister said more than 50 percent of the students in a class should be called to school and all the staff are required to be fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

DDMA constituted panel had on October 26 recommended reopening schools for Classes 6 to 8 in Delhi with 50 per cent student strength as it noted that there has been no reported instances of increased local transmission of COVID-19 due to reopening Classes 9 to 12, according to minutes of a DDMA meeting.

Principals and school associations welcomed the DDMA's move to allow reopening of schools for all classes from Monday following a 19-month-long closure with some saying the decision was taken at "just the right time" while for others it was "delayed", as per a PTI report.

Also Read | #reopenDU: Students protest seeking reopening of colleges continues

However, parents in Delhi had mixed reaction to the DDMA's move to allow reopening of schools for all classes from Monday with some calling it necessary to make up for the learning loss and others raising concerns about Covid risk amid festivities and pollution levels.