Delhi schools get ready for reopening from Sept 1, In Pics

The Delhi government approved the reopening of schools in the national capital on August 27, after a meeting, chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

All the educational institutes in the national capital, including the schools and colleges, will be reopening from September 1. This decision was taken by the government after a list of recommendations made by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

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The Delhi government on Monday issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for schools and colleges reopening from September 1.

Mandatory thermal screening, staggered lunch breaks, alternate seating arrangements in classrooms and avoiding routine guest visits are among the guidelines announced by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

(ANI Photo)

The DDMA has said that students, teachers, and other employees living in COVID-9 containment zones will not be allowed to come to schools and colleges.

Following a marked improvement in the COVID situation in the national capital, the Delhi government had on Friday announced that schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges, and coaching institutions would reopen from September 1.

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The Delhi government had clarified that no student would be forced to attend physical classes and the consent of parents would be mandatory. 

Lunch breaks may also be staggered and preferably be held in open areas as students will remove masks while having food, the guidelines added.

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"Schools and colleges should prepare a timetable as per occupancy limit of classrooms following Covid norms. A maximum 50 per cent students per classroom may be called depending upon capacity. The seating arrangement should be done in such a way that seats are occupied in an alternate manner," read the DDMA guidelines notified on Monday.

Schools are required to maintain their timetables and schedules according to the occupancy limit in the classrooms.

Authorities will have to make sure that there are no routine guest visits on the premises for the time being.

"As the situation varies from school to school and college to college, the institutions may stagger the schedule to avoid crowding in classrooms and at main entrance or exit,’’ the DDMA said.

While the government has noted that the vaccination centres and activities like ration distribution which were going on in different schools will continue, the DDMA said the area being used for these activities should be separated from the area which will be used for academic activities.

"All schools and colleges are advised to ensure that a quarantine room is available for emergency use. Routine guest visits should be discouraged," the DDMA guidelines said.

Parents are advised to keep a check on the schools if all the protocols are being followed by the authorities. The decision to reopen the schools in Delhi came after the national capital witnessed a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases.