Pollution: In-person classes suspended till Nov 10 for students up to Class 9 in Noida and Greater Noida

A message has been sent to parents of all students up to class 9 informing them about online classes till November 10. For students of classes 10, 11 and 12, in-person lessons will be conducted at the school

All classes, barring Class 10 and 12, have been directed to shift to online mode amid high pollution levels in the city, the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate said on Tuesday.

In-person classes were suspended for students till November 10 in view of rising pollution levels in the district. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

“The Commission for Air Quality Management vide its order dated November 5 has implemented Graded Responses Action Plan Stage-IV with the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR breaching the severe category with 400+ AQI. In view of the same, all schools of the district Gautam Buddh Nagar are directed to follow the implementation of the GRAP stage-IV order by discontinuing physical classes from pre-school to Class 9 up to November 10 and conduct lessons in an online mode,” DM Manish Verma stated in the order,

The move comes following concerns over the drastic impact of pollution on children’s health.

School associations said that they have conveyed the order to all parents. “A message has been sent to parents of all students up to class 9 informing them about online classes till November 10. For students of classes 10, 11 and 12, physical lessons will be conducted at the school,” said Aditi Basu Roy, district president of All India Principals’ Association (GB Nagar chapter) and principal of Grads International School, Greater Noida.

Parents also welcomed the decision. “Until a permanent solution has been put in place to tackle the severe air pollution, it is wise to shut schools for physical classes. After the Covid pandemic, students have become accustomed to online classes and can easily shift from one mode to another,” said Yatender Kasana, president of All Noida Schools Parents’ Association.

Manoj Kataria, founder of Gautam Buddh Nagar Parents’ Welfare Society, said, “It is good that physical classes have been continued for senior classes as this is the time when they are preparing for pre-board and home examinations and shifting to online classes would have affected their continuity”.