Class 9, 11 students in Delhi can join school from Feb 5

NEW DELHI: Schools for Classes 9 and 11, colleges and diploma institutes in Delhi will reopen from February 5, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced on Friday. He added that students will be allowed only with a written consent by their parents.

Addressing a digital press conference, Sisodia said schools and colleges are being reopened so that students can prepare better for their practicals and internal assessments.

“I have directed officials to ensure the safety of students and proper sanitisation of the entire school premises. A student will be allowed to come to school strictly after being granted permission by his/her parents,” Sisodia said.

After being shut for 10 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools in the national capital were first opened on January 18, for students of Classes 10 and 12 who were allowed to visit and meet teachers to clear their doubts and prepare for practical exams.

Accordingly, the directorate of education (DOE) on Friday issued examination instructions for Classes 9 and 11. For Class 11, practicals, projects, internal assessments and so on will be conducted at the school level from March 1.

“It is advised to the schools that they may conduct these assessments before the commencement of annual examinations. Mid-term examinations may be conducted from March 20 to April 15, 2021, tentatively from 2.30pm to 5.30pm in all the schools. Assessment of internal grades should also be done prior to the commencement of annual examinations. Question papers for annual examinations will be set up covering all the reduced syllabus which is uploaded on Doe’s website,” the government later said in a statement.

For Class 9, schools have been asked to conduct the first periodic assessment and second periodic assessment preferably in the fourth week of February and third week of March respectively, maintaining all Covid-appropriate behaviour.

“Projects and assignments which were given to the students as holiday homework or home assignments during the winter vacations will be considered as Subject Enrichment Activities,” read the statement.

Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School, in Rohini, called the decision “much-needed”. “Parents should also feel the importance of sending children to school now for practicals, projects and doubt clearing sessions as their final exams are near,” she said.

As for colleges, most Delhi University colleges are already open for final-year science stream students. Now, Delhi government colleges and other diploma and degree institutes may also reopen from February 5.