The decision on reopening of schools will be taken up in the next DDMA meeting
All private and government schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Delhi should be closed until further notice, the decision was taken in the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting on Thursday, January 27. The next DDMA meeting will decide on reopening of schools in the national capital.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia earlier said that the Delhi government had closed schools when it was not safe for children, but excessive caution is now harming students. Mr Sisodia while saying that the government will recommend DDMA to reopen schools in Delhi, said: “The pandemic-induced school closures have not only affected their studies but also their mental health. During COVID, our priority was children's safety. But since various researches have now found that COVID is not so harmful for kids, it is important to reopen the schools, as now is the time for exams and related preparations.”
Earlier on Wednesday, January 26, a delegation of parents led by Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist and public policy specialist, met Mr Sisodia and submitted a memorandum signed by over 1,600 parents demanding that the Delhi schools be reopened. Mr Lahariya pointed out that according to AIIMS, ICMR, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, NITI Aayog, WHO and several other organisations, the risk associated with COVID is very less among children.
"School closures have a few advantages but its negative impact on children's learning and mental-emotional well-being was very high. Hence, reopening of schools is a crying need of the hour," he said.
- With PTI Inputs