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Classes 9, 11; Delhi govt colleges and institutes to reopen from February 5: Sisodia
New Delhi: Schools for classes 9 and 11, colleges and diploma institutes in Delhi will reopen from February 5, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced on Friday
New Delhi: Schools for classes 9 and 11, colleges and diploma institutes in Delhi will reopen from February 5, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced on Friday. He added that students will be allowed only with a written consent by their parents.
Addressing a digital press conference, Sisodia said schools and colleges are being reopened so that students can prepare better for their practicals and internal assessments. “I have directed officials to ensure the safety of students and proper sanitisation of the entire school premises. A student will be allowed to come to school strictly after being granted permission by his/her parents,” he said.
After being shut for 10 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools in Delhi were first opened on January 18, for students of classes 10 and 12 who were allowed to visit and meet teachers to clear their doubts and prepare for practical exams.
Accordingly, the directorate of education (DoE) on Friday issued examination instructions for classes 9 and 11. For class 11, practicals, projects, internal assessments and so on will be conducted at the school level from March 1.
“It is advised to the schools that they may conduct these assessments before the commencement of annual examinations. Mid-term examinations may be conducted from March 20 to April 15, 2021, tentatively from 2.30pm to 5.30pm in all the schools. Assessment of internal grades should also be done prior to the commencement of annual examinations. Question papers for annual examinations will be set up covering all the reduced syllabus which is uploaded on DoE’s website,” the government later said in a statement.
For Class 9, schools have been asked to conduct the first periodic assessment and second periodic assessment preferably in the fourth week of February and third week of March respectively, maintaining all Covid-appropriate behaviour.
“Mid-term examinations may be conducted from April 1 to April 15, 2021, tentatively from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm in all the schools. Projects and assignments which were given to the students as holiday homework or home assignments during the winter vacations will be considered as Subject Enrichment Activities,” read the statement.
Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School, in Rohini, called it a decision “much-needed” for the smooth conduct of classes 9 and 11. “Parents should also feel the importance of sending children to school now for practicals, projects and doubt clearing sessions as their final exams are approaching,” Arora said.
Some principals said they are still observing conduct of classes 10 and 12, before they will allow other classes to resume.
Ameeta Mulla Wattal, principal of Springdales School on Pusa Road, said, “Our class 10 and 12 students will start coming from Wednesday. We will first observe how it goes with them and with that experience, we will think about reopening school for those in classes 9 and 11. We will follow the due process of taking consent from parents. Besides, we have invited parents to visit the school on Monday to see all the arrangements that we made.”
Sisodia, who is also Delhi’s education minister, said the decision to reopen schools for students of classes other than 10 and 12 was taken based on the demand by parents. “Initially, when schools were reopened for students of classes 10 and 12 from January 18, parents were unsure about sending their children due to the pandemic. Hence, schools saw poor attendance in the initial days,” he said.
“But now, parents have seen the preparedness by the schools and are convinced about their children’s safety. As a result, the attendance has increased to 80% now,” Sisodia said.
As for colleges, most of the Delhi University colleges are already open for final year science stream students. Now, Delhi government colleges and other diploma and degree institutes may also reopen from February 5.
