Delhi schools to reopen for Classes 9 to 12 from February 7: DDMA

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has decided to reopen schools in Delhi in phased manner. Schools for Classes 9 to 12 will reopen from February 7, 2022. The decision to reopen schools in the national capital was taken during the DDMA meeting today.

“In Delhi, institutions of higher education to open subject to SoPs and strict adherence to COVID appropriate behaviour. Schools to open in a phased manner. Schools for Classes 9th-12th to reopen from February 7,” DDMA said after the meeting.

Teachers who aren’t vaccinated will not be permitted inside schools, it added. Later, at an online briefing, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced that the panel has also decided to resume classes from nursery to 8 from February 14.

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In the last DDMA meeting, the Delhi government had recommended reopening of schools saying it was necessary to prevent further damage to the social and economic well-being of children as the COVID-19 situation in the capital had improved.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had also said the government had closed schools when it was not safe for children, but "excessive caution" was harming them. 74% Delhi parents did not support school reopening at this time, while 66% parents believe schools should be reopened once positivity rate falls below 2%.

However, the DDMA informed that the decision on Delhi school reopening will be taken later. And, in a Covid-19 review meeting today, it has been decided to reopen in a phased manner from February 7.

The ministry of education had recently issued modified guidelines for school reopening to curb the spread of Covid-19. As per the revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the ministry, the state governments and union territories can decide whether the consent of parents or guardians are required for students to attend physical classes.