Delhi schools reopen for all classes today after 19 months of COVID-forced closure

New Delhi: Several schools in Delhi reopened on today, November 1, with 50 per cent seating capacity for junior classes after remaining closed for 19 months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Several private schools, however, have chosen to defer the reopening post Diwali.

Masked students, thermal scanning, and volunteers guiding staggered entry and exit for students was a common sight at the schools which reopened on Monday. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited the Rajkiya Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in East Delhi's Vinod Nagar and interacted with students.

This is what kids were missing….

You must watch this video and see why it was important to open the schools …. https://t.co/7DCMA5FfzJ pic.twitter.com/NPBtvpi7eC

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 1, 2021

"Finally!!!! It's time to come back to school. Today, after one and a half years, all the children have returned to their schools. It was a very emotional moment to see the kids laughing and having fun again in their classrooms. All children are welcome back to school, the deputy chief minister said in a tweet.

Finally!!!! It’s time to come back to school

आज करीब डेढ़ साल बाद सभी बच्चे अपने स्कूल लौटे है।

बच्चों को फिरसे अपने क्लासरूम में हँसते खिलखिलाते और मस्ती करते देखना एक बहुत ही भावुक क्षण था। सभी बच्चो का स्कूल में फिरसे स्वागत है। pic.twitter.com/telwsaOy77

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 1, 2021

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had last week announced that schools would reopen for all classes from November 1, even though teaching and learning would continue in blended mode. The DDMA had 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.

Following a marked improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, the Delhi government had announced the reopening of schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching institutions from September 1. However, this is the first time after March 2020 that schools in Delhi are reopening for classes upto 8.

(With inputs from PTI)