Schools in Gurugram, Faridabad to hold classes in hybrid mode due to air pollution

NEW DELHI: In response to the ongoing air pollution crisis, the school education department of Haryana has ordered all government and private schools to conduct classes in hybrid mode for students up to Class 9 and 11 with immediate effect, until further orders. This decision follows the implementation of Stage-IV actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to address hazardous air quality levels in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued a directive for all government and private schools in Faridabad and Gurugram to shift to hybrid classes. "All actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of the latest GRAP Schedule... be implemented with immediate effect in right earnest by all agencies in the entire NCR," the CAQM stated in its official notice.

“Accordingly, all the Heads of Schools of Govt. and Private Schools of Faridabad and Gurugram district of the State are directed to conduct classes in schools for children up to Class IX and XI in a Hybrid Mode' i.e. both in physical and online mode (wherever online mode is feasible) with immediate effect until further orders,” the official order reads.

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Additionally, school authorities have been asked to disseminate this information to the parents and guardians of students immediately. This move is in addition to the actions already being implemented under Stage-I to Stage-III of the revised GRAP schedule, which have been in force since early December.