New Delhi | Jagran Education Desk: An expert committee set up by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday (August 25) submitted its report on the reopening of schools in the national capital to the Delhi government. The expert committee has recommended phase-wise reopening of schools as reported by the news agency Press Trust of India. The panel of the committee has suggested that schools could be reopened for all classes but senior wing students should be called in the first phase followed by middle class students and then primary classes.
"The panel has submitted its report today. The recommendations include reopening of schools for all classes but in a phase-wise manner. The report will be studied in detail and a final decision will be taken soon in this regard," a source told PTI.
Currently, students of classes 10, 11, and 12 can visit schools in Delhi for admission and board-exam related activities, with the consent of their parents.
The Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on August 6 had asked officials to set up an expert committee to chalk out a detailed plan for reopening the schools in the national capital noting that there is no harm in doing so. Following this, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia told the DDMA in a meeting chaired by Baijal to set up a committee since at least 90 per cent of the parents, who attended the mega parent-teacher meeting (PTM) at government schools that was held between July 19 and 31, had voted in favour of reopening the schools.
The committee was asked to finalise a detailed SOP, assess the preparedness of schools, vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff, and address the concerns of parents.
Schools in Delhi were ordered to shut down last year in March ahead of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. However, the Delhi government allowed physical classes only for grades 9-12 in January this year, which were again suspended following the exponential rise in COVID-19 cases during the second wave.
(With inputs from PTI)