Delhi schools reopening: SOPs issued for Class 10,12; online classes to continue

With the schools in Delhi for Class 10 and Class 12 reopening, the Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi has issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the students. Earlier, the Delhi government had allowed students of Class 10th and 12th to come to school for admission, counselling, guidance or for practical activities related to board exams.

According to the SOPs, students who want to come to school will have to bring a consent letter from their parents. Online classes will continue and students who want to continue online classes will be allowed to do so.

The Head of School will make the schedule of the students in such a way that the coronavirus protocol can be followed in the class or laboratory. Students should be told not to share their books, copies or stationery. Students or teachers with any symptoms will not be allowed to come to the school.

Along with this, the new SOPs, have made thermal scanning mandatory at the entry gate of the school. It will be mandatory to sanitize hand at school entry, classroom entry, laboratory entry or entry of other public places. A quarantine room will also have to be arranged for emergency situations inside the school.

The decision to reopen the schools was taken after consultations with the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia had said that there has already been enough loss of education because of the closure of schools throughout last year. He also said that the government has received over 35,000 suggestions on the issue of reopening schools. The DDMA meeting was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lt-Governor Anil Baijal, Niti Aayog member VK Paul, AIIMS Chief Dr Randeep Guleria, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, and other officials.

The Delhi government had also taken suggestions from teachers and parents considering the COVID-19 situation in Delhi.