DELHI SCHOOLS TO OPEN FOR SENIOR STUDENTS TODAY
Private schools will reopen once the online pre-board exams are over and parental consent forms are collected
NEW DELHI: From masks, sanitisers and physical distancing markers to thermal scanners and sensor taps, schools in the Capital have taken several measures to ensure that students of classes 10 and 12 return to the campus safely after almost 10 months since they were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While most government schools are reopening for board students on Monday, several private schools said they would reopen once the online preboard exams are over and they have acquired the consent of parents.
“All preparations... are in place,” said deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after holding a review meeting with education department officials.
NEW DELHI: From masks, sanitisers, and physical distancing markers to thermal scanners and sensor taps, schools in the national capital have taken several measures to ensure that the return of classes 10 and 12 students to the campus after 10 months is safe. Schools in the national capital had been closed since March last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While most government schools in the capital are reopening for board students on Monday, several private schools said they would reopen later once the online pre-board exams are over and parental consent for return of students has been acquired.
Madhulika Sen, education advisor at Tagore International School, said, “The notice was issued with only five days in hand. Our online pre-board exams are currently underway and will only be completed by next week. So we will use this time to implement all protocols, speak to parents for their consent before reopening in February. The syllabus has already been covered and we will have time for revision and practicals. Students are likely to be called three days a week initially with no more than 15 students per room which is one-third of the original capacity of our classrooms.”
Last week, the Delhi government allowed all public and private schools in the national capital to call students of classes 10 and 12 back to the campus from January 18 for pre-board preparations and practical work. The schools have been asked only to call students with the consent of the parents and follow all the Covid-19 precautions.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday held a review meeting with officials from the education department on the matter. “Everyone is excited and a little nervous at having Class 10 and 12 students back in schools from tomorrow for practical/ counselling. All preparations – sanitizers, masks, and social distancing measures – are in place,” he tweeted.
Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School which has over 300 students appearing for class 10 and 12 boards this year, said, “We will reopen sometime later this week as are waiting for parental consent slips to form the batches. Thermal scanners and oximeters are present in the school along with sanitisers and emergency masks for those students who need it. Class hours have been reduced from six hours to two hours and initially, we will only be calling 50 students to school from both classes to ensure parents and students both feel comfortable. Only 10 students will be allowed per laboratory with at least three staff members to ensure supervision.”
The CBSE board exams will be held between May 3 and June 10 and practicals will begin from March 1.
BP Dhyani, principal of a Delhi government school in Trilokpuri, said they are all set to reopen Monday with masks, sanitisers, and physical distancing markers in place. “Through existing Whatsapp groups, we had asked children to bring a signed copy of consent form to school on Monday. We have also made arrangements to keep printed copies of the form ready in case any parent wants to sign it tomorrow after coming to school. The students who could not arrange school uniforms this year will be allowed to come in their home clothes. The idea is to facilitate their learning for upcoming board exams. With teachers deployed for Covid-19 duty, that too might be a challenge,” he said.
Schools will also hold orientation programmes and put up posters and notices detailing the Covid-19 guidelines. “We will hold orientation sessions reminding students of little things like opening doors using elbows, keeping their masks on at all times and carrying pocket sanitisers. Parents have also been asked to pick and drop their children as per the specified schedule,” said Alka Kapur, principal of Modern Public School in Shalimar Bagh.
Geeta Gangwani, principal of Bal Bharati School in Rohini, which will reopen later this month once their pre-board examinations are over, said they will have daily orientation for students. “We have also prepared a presentation for parents which focuses on how children should behave before entering school, while being in school, and after they leave school. Exhaustive training of support staff will also be undertaken in the coming week,” she said.
The school has installed sanitisers, fogging machines, thermal scanners, and disinfectants which will be sprayed in-between batches.
Richa Sharma, principal of The Sanskriti School, which is reopening Tuesday, said they will have seven students per laboratory, against the capacity of 30. The school also sent consent forms to parents of those students who were being called to school as per their roster. “Each batch will have a teacher and attendant to ensure that physical distancing is followed. A task force has also been formed to supervise entry-exit protocols, cleaning, managing consent forms among other things.”
Trisha Kakkar, a class 12 student at The Indian School, said, “My parents have allowed me to return to school and I am really excited about it. Along with practical lessons, we will be able to see our teachers and interact with them one last time as this is our last year of school.”
Everyone is excited and a little nervous at having Class 10 and 12 students back in schools from tomorrow... MANISH SISODIA, Delhi education minister, in a tweet