Delhi Government's Expert Committee Recommends Reopening Schools, DDMA To Take Final Decision

According to sources, the report recommends the opening of schools for all classes. It has also recommended to reopen schools in a phased manner.  

Delhi School Reopening. (File Photo)

New Delhi: The Expert Committee of the Delhi government has submitted its report regarding the reopening of schools in Delhi. According to sources, the report recommends the reopening of schools for all classes. It has also recommended to reopen schools in a phased manner.  

In addition, the report says to reopen schools for only senior classes in the first phase. This should then be followed by middle school and then primary school at the end. The final decision on reopening the school will be taken at the DDMA meeting. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority had set up an expert committee on safely reopening schools in Delhi.

LG issued orders for formation of expert committee
Earlier, a DDMA meeting, led by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, has already been held on schools reopening in Delhi. In the meeting, the LG had directed the officials to set up an expert committee to prepare a detailed plan. This was followed by an expert committee constituted by the Delhi government.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, NITI Aayog member Vinod Kumar Paul, National Centre for Disease Control Director Dr Sujeet Singh, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava and National Disaster Management Authority member Krishna Vats were also present at the DDMA meeting.

Delhi government favours reopening schools
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said during the meeting that the long-standing closure of schools has affected student learning and thus most parents are in favour of reopening the schools. Sisodia said 90 per cent of the eight lakh parents present at the Delhi government's parent-teacher meeting supported the reopening of schools.

Schools closed in Himachal till September 4
Because of the threat of the third wave of the Covid-19, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to shut down schools till September 4. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur in Shimla on Tuesday. Earlier orders were issued to keep schools closed till August 28.