Delhi schools for classes 9-12, colleges and coaching institutes to reopen from September 1 with COVID-19 precautions: Manish Sisodia

The Delhi government has allowed classes for standard 9-12 in all schools, coaching classes as well as all colleges/universities to resume from September 1.

New Delhi: The Delhi government has decided to resume physical classes for Classes 9-12, colleges and educational institutions from September 1, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday (August 27). 

The educational institutes will reopen in Delhi with strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols, Sisodia said. “It has been decided to resume schools, colleges, coaching activities in Delhi with all precautions, in a phased manner. From 1st Sept, classes for std 9-12 in all schools, their coaching classes as well as all colleges/universities will be permitted to resume,” ANI quoted the AAP leader as saying. 

Sisodia added that it will not be mandatory for students to attend offline classes and permission of parents will be required for students to attend school. “Social distancing should be strictly followed and no student will be forced to come to the school. Consent of parents will be essential for students to come. If parents don't permit then students will not be forced to come, they'll not be considered absent either,” the Delhi Deputy CM added. 

Further, he said that a decision for reopening schools for lower classes will be taken after analysing the effect of restarting schools for senior classes. 

Earlier, a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), attended by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia, was held to discuss the issue of reopening schools in Delhi, PTI reported. 

The schools in Delhi have been shut since March 2020 due to nationwide lockdown. In August, the Delhi government had decided to form an experts committee to take a decision on reopening schools amid declining COVID-19 cases.

On Wednesday (August 25), National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation’s (NTAGI) working group chairman Dr NK Arora said that schools should be reopened for all classes now provided that adults around them are vaccinated with the COVID-19 jab. "Be it primary schools, secondary schools or higher schools, they all should be opened. In fact, primary schools have children aged less than 10 years, and they are least infected by the virus. However, a safe environment should be created by vaccinated all adults in their environment," Arora told ANI. 

(With agency inputs)