‘Highly Disappointed’, Say Parents As They Fear Reopening Of Delhi Schools
The Delhi schools are gearing up to reopen tomorrow for Classes 10 and 12 after a period of nine months. The schools will hold physical classes for the CBSE board exam 2021 candidates to help them prepare for the upcoming exams in May. Delhi Education Minister had announced the reopening of schools on his official Twitter handle to conduct practical classes, finish projects and hold counselling sessions. As the announcement to reopen the schools was made, various Delhi students requested the government to reconsider its decision due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. While their parents are equally vexed about sending their children to school while being unsure of proper COVID-19 protocols are in place.
Read More: Delhi Schools Reopening: Instructions For Class 10, 12 Students
The Delhi parents are also worried about the bird flu cases in the capital alongside the COVID-19 virus. Except few parents who have been lauding the government's decision, others have been mostly disappointed.
Fear of Covid-19, Bird Flu grips parents
A parent of a Class 10 student studying in Delhi expressed his disappointment with the government's decision to reopen the schools. While asking to wait for the vaccination programme to reach students, the father Sameer Tandon said, “Highly disappointed, is the vaccination done?-No, has the virus gone?-No, what if I don't let my son go to school for now, he will lose on practical classes, if he goes,there are chances of him getting affected by the virus. Are we crazy? We can't protect our children from this situation”.
A parent of a Class 12 student studying in Delhi's public school named Gopal Sadhwani feared the spread of bird flu in the state along with COVID-19 as he said, “Sir. Reconsider. May not lend us in pain. Terrifying news for parents who are already struggling to stay strong during these critical times of COVID and Bird Flu. It will be too difficult for children to adapt to new normal particularly with Boards in the backdrop of their mind”.
Read More: 'Reconsider, We Are Fighting With Bird Flu, COVID-19', Say Delhi Students On School Reopening
The Delhi Government has also issued guidelines to hold practicals and online assessments in the schools. Most of them are in alignment with the COVID-19 standard operating procedures.
Jilted by the reopening announcement, one of the parents named Sakshi said if the government is playing a test match with the students to decide if the schools can be reopened on a full-time basis or not.
“The decision to reopen is for practicals and completing projects just for small duration and guidance but now private schools may take this wrong and make students mandatory to come for exams rather than calling few students in batches. Are they playing a test match with our children as most of them have no good immunity”, she said.
Few parents appreciate reopening of Delhi Schools
Though not all parents of Delhi students are against the decision to reopen the schools.
Lauding the government's decision, Alok Singhal, father of a Class 10 student studying in a Pitampura school said, “Schools already have completed full courses and now only practicals are left. It's fine because practicals can be managed by preparing schedules of students coming in on different dates and time”.
Earlier the Delhi government has released a host of instructions to reopen Delhi schools.