Coronavirus update: Delhi teachers association calls for cancellation of academic year\, wants schools to remain shut

Coronavirus update: Delhi teachers association calls for cancellation of academic year, wants schools to remain shut

Ajayveer Yadav, General Sectary, Government School Teacher's Association Delhi expressed concerns about the students and teachers' safety if the school were to reopen as cases are increasing

Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16

The Government School Teacher Association of Delhi has demanded that the state government should declare the academic year 19-20 as zero. This request comes at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital is increasing but there are growing reports of government making preparations for the reopening of schools.

According to India Today TV, the association has said that when the government itself admits that the number of cases is expected to grow then it is not advisable to even think about reopening schools at this point.

Ajayveer Yadav, General Sectary, Government School Teacher's Association Delhi expressed concerns about the students and teachers' safety if the school were to reopen as cases are increasing.

"Let's not forget what happened in Israel when they opened the schools. We must ensure that this academic year is declared as zero. Even Arvind Kejriwal himself is showing Covid-19 symptoms. So, it's not difficult to imagine what the condition would be if schools were reopened," he says.

Ajayveer further said to the news channel, "More than 100 teachers are now infected with Corona till now and four of the Delhiites lost their lives. We must ensure that schools are not reopened until this pandemic slows down."

Parents tensed about children going back to school

Parents in Delhi are worried about schools reopening. Many parent associations have already said that they do not support reopening of schools at this moment and that the whole academic year should be declared as zero.

Father of a class 12 student, Rohit Handa has been experiencing a lot of anxiety since he heard that the Delhi government is planning to reopen schools even as the cases increase. Rohit is concerned about the safety of his child.

Rohit says, "I am worried that when my daughter goes to school for examinations, what would be the arrangements for prevention of Coronavirus there? When I see the record new figures in Delhi every day, I worry about my girl, no matter what the government decides. So, declare one year as zero period, as there is nothing bigger than life."

Aparajita, the President of Delhi Parents Association, shares a similar view to Rohit, "When we talk about opening schools in the present situation, it is like sending our child on a suicide mission. We as a parents' association demand that no schools be opened right now. However, for board exams, there can be an exception with precautions."

The Delhi Government had recently decided that schools were going to be turned into isolation centres for COVID-19 suspects - another thing which has patents worried.

Recently, a large number of local people protested against Delhi Government School at RK Puram where the school had been turned into an isolation centre.