When will schools in Delhi reopen? CM Arvind Kejriwal answers

File Photo (IANS)

New Delhi: As the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) further relaxes lockdown restrictions in Delhi from Monday (July 26, 2021), 'when will school reopen' in the national capital still remains the most common question asked by the Delhiites. Giving rest to all the speculations, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday (July 23, 2021) said that he will first review the experience of other states where schools are reopening and then take a decision on schools in the national capital.

The chief minister, however, reiterated the Delhi government's stand that the ideal situation for reopening schools would be after vaccination is complete. 

"The ideal situation would be to open schools after vaccination. We will see for some days the experiences of other states where schools are opening and then decide. Parents are still worried about their child's safety," the AAP supremo said.

Earlier last week, Kejriwal had cited concerns over a possible third wave of COVID-19 and had said that there are no plans to reopen schools till the vaccination process is over.

This is to be noted that the schools in Delhi were first shut in March 2020 due to the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown. However, the Delhi government had allowed physical classes for 9-12 grades in January this year, which were again suspended following the sudden rise in COVID-19 cases.

The states that have partially reopened schools in July include Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar while Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have announced the reopening of schools in the first week of August.

Delhi on Saturday recorded no death due to COVID-19 and 66 fresh cases. The capital has so far seen 14,35,844 infections and 25,041 coronavirus-related fatalities and currently has 587 active cases.

Delhi Health Bulletin - 24th July 2021 #DelhiFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/0vWABePh8Z — CMO Delhi (@CMODelhi) July 24, 2021

Meanwhile, more than 69,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered in Delhi on Saturday, taking the cumulative number to over 96 lakh. A total of 55,58,874 men and 41,11,264 women have been inoculated so far, of which, as many as 46,79,471 people in the 18-44 age group have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

(With agency inputs)