NEW DELHI: Most schools in the national capital reopened on Monday for classes 9 to 12 after prolonged closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while some private schools were still working out modalities like consent of parents and transport availability.

Amid declining coronavirus cases in the city, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had on Friday decided to reopen higher education institutions and coaching centres along with schools for classes 9-12 from February 7. It also decided to reopen schools for students from nursery to Class 8 from February 14.

Children were seen wearing masks as they returned to schools. At one private school, students’ bags were being sanitised as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal shared on Twitter some photos of children being welcomed at different schools.

“Happy to see children back in school again. They also got frustrated. I pray that the need to close schools does not arise again,” he tweeted in Hindi.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also visited a few schools and interacted with students.

“Delhi schools are finally open now. The splendour is back again with the return of children,” he said in a tweet.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio said, “Due to COVID-induced school closure, there has been a lot of damage to the education of children. Of course, online classes helped us continue the education of our children during the pandemic, but online mode of learning can never be a replacement for offline learning. We are in alert mode. It will be ensured that all schools follow COVID-19 protocols and social distancing norms strictly”.

Some private schools did not open on Monday.

“We are yet to reopen because there are a lot of modalities. The board classes are nearing their exams so the attendance is going to be thin. Also, providing transport for students is difficult, so we are still working out the details. We will have a plan in two days,” the vice principal of a top private school said.

Schools in the city were briefly reopened before being closed again on December 28 last year in view of the third wave of COVID-19 driven by the Omicron variant.

Simran, a class 12 student of a government school in Tilak Nagar, said, “It feels good to be back after a long time. When the order came for reopening of schools, our parents were apprehensive since coronavirus cases were still being reported but we convinced them to send us to school. In online classes, we can understand things but the physical mode of teaching is better since we don’t forget what is taught in class.”

Her teacher, Rupa Rajput, said, “Attendance is 50 per cent today. I think it will go up by tomorrow. With prolonged closure of schools, students have forgotten the drill of getting up early and coming to school. With online classes, they can simply get up late and log in. The exams are near and the resumption of offline classes will help us in completing the syllabus.”

While the Centre has dropped the mandatory parental consent for students to physically attend schools from its guidelines and left it to the states, the Delhi government has decided to continue with it.

There is no cap of 50 per cent student strength and schools are free to decide the number of students based on their infrastructure so that the COVID-19 protocols are followed.

“I’m excited. Our school has decided to resume classes from Wednesday as several arrangements need to be made. They will be offering hybrid classes. I am confused whether to go for in-person classes or take online classes as I’m unvaccinated. Moreover, there is no update on school transportation services,” said Harsh, a class 10 student from Bhajanpura.

Priyanshu Singh, a student of a government school at Dilshad Garden, said, “We are looking forward to attend school as final exams are approaching. The pandemic has affected not only our daily lives but also our studies. Everyone prefers to study offline instead of online classes.”

Jaideep Singh, a class 9 who studies in a Delhi government-run school in Lajpat Nagar said, “It has been the same story for two-and-a-half years. Schools reopen and then after a while shut down again due to a rise in Covid cases. But more than online, I would prefer offline classes as I get to clear my doubts and of course, meet my friends too.”

Pooja Singh, also a student of a Delhi government school said, “Studying has become a task when doing it online, but offline feels like we are actually studying. We do have a routine, feel fresh, can concentrate better when doubts get cleared timely. I hope the government doesn’t shut down any schools again.”

Colleges are also set to reopen from Monday with the DDMA deciding against online classes and saying that higher education will now completely be offline in the national capital.