Air quality in Delhi another concern as kids return to school

NEW DELHI: As more schools in Delhi reopen for in-person classes after the Diwali break, they will have to contend with hazardous pollution levels in the city, a concern schools said took a backseat as Covid-mitigation measures became their primary focus.

Most heads of school said they will limit outdoor physical activity till the air quality improves.

Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini, which reopens for in-person classes on Thursday, said, “As pollution peaks, especially after Diwali, we abort outdoor physical activity and will continue to do the same once we reopen. We have already outlined in our operating guidelines that there will be limitations on some sports and outdoor activities due to prevailing concerns around Covid-19 and pollution levels.”

So far, around 70% of the students’ parents in the school have consented to let their children attend physical classes, authorities of the institution said. Most students, however, have declined to opt for the school’s transport services, likely due to the fear of Covid-19 spreading.

“We are still in the process of obtaining parents’ consent. Some parents are still weighing the options, due to which responses are arriving slowly. It is possible that the pollution levels may be one of the factors due to which parents are taking their time to consent to physical classes,” said Arora.

For the first few days after reopening, the school will focus on interactive sessions with students on a range of topics, including the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change.

“Teachers will have detailed discussions with children on mental and physical health, climate change, and other concerns so that there is meaningful dialogue,” said Arora.

Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School, said that the institution will limit outdoor activity and hold shorter classes.

“We will have classes for between three and three-and-ahalf hours, so pollution shouldn’t play a major role right now. Parents are already a little apprehensive due to Covid-19, so I’d say that pollution is among the factors [we are considering]. Due to the pandemic, pollution has taken a backseat in comparison to pre-Covid times,” said Joshi.

Government schools also said they will keep physical activities to a minimum.

AK Jha, principal of the Government Co-ed Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Rohini, said that while pollution was prevalent, it may not majorly impact attendance this year.

“I think children will continue to visit school, especially at a time when classes have resumed after a long gap,” said Jha.