Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in its recent order of relaxing COVID-19 curbs has announced to reopen schools from February 7. However, the schools would reopen only for classes 9 to 12.
The DDMA has announced that the head of the institute will have to ensure that all the staff members are vaccinated and adequate COVID-19 measures are taken. They also announced that those who are unwilling to join the offline classes can continue with the online classes. The new guidelines also advised schools to prepare time table according to the capacity/occupancy level of labs and classrooms so that crowding can be avoided. The lunch break should be staggered to avoid crowding and must be held in open area. The schools for junior classes will start from February 14.
Many parents are unhappy with the decision of phased reopening and want children to resume normal school hours as soon as possible so that all children have an equal opportunity to learn.
An online petition signed by over 7000 parents demands to open schools offline for all grade students with hundred per cent attendance citing psychological problems in kids due to lack of social interaction. The petition said, “Lack of social interaction is leading to psychological problems. Cases of Depression and anxiety have been recorded. Children have had reduced physical activity, poorer diets and in many cases exposure to domestic violence as well.”
Gita Gopinath, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, also tweeted about the ill impact of school closures in developing countries citing an IMF report. She tweeted, “School closures and job losses due to #COVID has been very unequal across countries. Younger generations may bear the scars of the jobs and learning losses for decades.”
School closures and job losses due to #COVID has been very unequal across countries. Younger generations may bear the scars of the jobs and learning losses for decades. Read more in our latest #IMFblog by @Ruchir_Agar https://t.co/0oGcY3kAZt pic.twitter.com/G2XYpWXQoy
— Gita Gopinath (@GitaGopinath) February 4, 2022
However, many parents are yet not comfortable in sending their children to the school alarmed by the health impacts due to the COVID-19 virus.