Delhi schools reopen for all classes after 19 months with Covid-19 measures

Delhi schools reopen on Nov 1 (PTI Image)

Delhi schools have opened today after remaining closed for 19 months. Primary and middle school grades — up to class VIII — that have not been opened for physical classes even a single day since March 12, 2020, opened today.

Schools in the national capital opened shortly for board exam candidates from classes IX to XII, starting January this year, before closing completely on April 9 because of the second wave of the pandemic. Schools again opened for classes IX to XII on September 1 as there was a dip in cases in Delhi, but there had been no approval for schools to open for younger children.

According to an Indian Express report, the first day of reopening of schools exhorted moderate response. The focus was on making the students familiar with the Covid protocol. Students were monitored thoroughly if they were wearing masks, there was thermal scanning and volunteers guided staggered entry.

Delhi schools reopen for all classes with 50% capacity from today; visuals from Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya Raj Niwas Marg pic.twitter.com/IRYrfOZVBi

— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2021

Physical attendance, however, stays voluntary and parents will not be forced to send their children to school. Meanwhile, schools will reopen for all classes, even though teaching will continue to take place virtually as well, in blended mode.

But there cannot be more than 50 percent attendance in a class at one point. The announcement to reopen schools came amid a low Covid-19 case count in the Union Territory.

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia visited the Rajkiya Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in East Delhi’s Vinod Nagar for inspection and interacted with students who returned to school today.

Some of the private schools like DAV Public school, Indian School, Pushpanjali Enclave, Bal Bharti deferred reopening till Diwali.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded just four Covid-19 related death in October, the lowest monthly toll since the first fatality from the pandemic in March last year. However, five fresh dengue-related deaths were reported.