Schools in the national capital were ordered closed in March last year ahead of the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. While several states started partially reopening schools in October last year, the Delhi government in January this year allowed physical classes only for classes 9-12 Standard, which were tested positive during the aggressive second wave of CORONA-19 was suspended again after a rapid increase in cases.
An expert committee constituted by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has recommended a phased reopening of schools in the national capital from September. While some believe the time has come to reopen schools as the learning loss is huge, others feel there is no harm in waiting for a few more weeks or even a month as experts say a possible “Third Wave Warnings”.
Third Wave Predicted By Experts:
The danger is not over yet. Re-opening schools just before October-November, during which a third wave has been predicted by experts, is not a wise decision. A system for online learning is already in place and extending it by a few weeks or even a month will not do much harm when schools have been closed for so long, – said A. Gautam, (President of Delhi Parents Association).
Parents are divided on plans to reopen schools in the national capital, amid concerns over a possible third wave of KOVID-19 in the coming months.
D. Verma, mother of a nine-year-old girl, said – Flexible plans are a better option. If schools are to reopen, they should not resume full-time classes. There may be mixed learning in the beginning. We all know that many countries are seeing a resurgence in cases and we may be next.
Physical Classes Should Begin In Sequential Manner:
However, many school principals and education experts are in favour of reopening schools. School plays an essential role in the holistic development of a child and it has been more than 16 months since these institutions have been closed due to the CORONA-19 pandemic. Schools should be reopened and physical classes should be started in a graded manner keeping in mind the wellbeing of each stakeholder, – said the Principal, MRG School.
In its report submitted on Wednesday, the DDMA panel recommended that students of senior classes be called in the first phase, followed by students of middle class and finally students of primary classes. The committee has also said that interested parents should have the option of sending their child to school and others can opt for online classes.
It is high time we should welcome students back to school to break the monotonous cycle of distance learning. This will help schools address learning gaps and address learning outcomes for students. In addition to learning loss, they suffer from lack of social skills. There has also been an increase in the impact on their academic skill set, mental health and emotional well-being.
