No assembly, physical activity: India's Delhi schools to reopen on Monday after lockdown

After being shut for 10 months since March 19, government, government-aided/unaided schools in Delhi will reopen from tomorrow only for the students of Class 10 and 12. The decision to reopen school was taken early this month, after months of putting it off while the government consulted with guardians, school authorities etc.

The Centre had allowed the reopening of schools from September 21, 2020, for the first time after lockdown. States decided whether to reopen schools or not according to their Covid-19 situation.

1. Only students of class 10 and 12 are allowed to visit schools with parental consent.

2. A record of the students coming to school will be maintained, but that will not be for attendance purpose as coming to school is voluntary.

3. Schools inside containment zones will not be allowed to reopen and students, teachers from such areas won't be allowed to come to schools.

4. There will be no assembly or physical outdoor activities.

5. All standard social-distancing guidelines, including staggard entry and exit, are to be followed.

6. As the Delhi government is reopening schools only keeping in mind the pre-board exams, teachers will guide students regarding those.

7. Online classes will continue for those who are staying at home.

8. There will be two shifts if required depending on the number of students attending classes.

9. There will be no transport offered by the school authorities.

10. Class 10 students will have their pre-boards between March 20 and April 15. Class 12 students will have their pre-boards from April 1 to 15.

CBSE Board exams will start fro, May 4 and will be over by June 10. Results will be announced by July 15.

Guidelines for labs

> Only 12 to 15 students will be allowed to be inside the laboratories at the same time. The lab time table has to be approved by the directorate of education, the government of NCT of Delhi.

> The same set of students must be grouped together to minimise contact among students.

> Hand sanitisation must in laboratories.

Kerala, which is still reporting over 5,000 new Covid-19 infections daily, has reopened schools in the first week. Maharashtra, another worst-hit state, will open schools from junior classes (Classes 5 to 8) from January 27. Classes for senior students have already resumed in the state.

States which have reopened physical classes have reported some infections among teachers.

After schools reopened in November in Andhra Pradesh, about 575 students and 829 teachers were infected.

Karnataka too has reported at least 236 infections among teaching and non-teaching staff in January.

Madhya Pradesh has reported positive cases among students as at least 10 class 12 girls of a government-run school in Shahpur tested positive.