Balloons, flowers, sanitisers and smiling faces welcomed class 10 and 12 students in schools in Delhi on Monday, January 18, 2021, as they returned to campuses after over 10 months. The students who attended the offline class wore masks and queued up outside schools maintaining social distance.

“It was optional to come but I was sure I have to. It is the last year of my school life and I haven’t come to school even one day,” said Pragati Diwan, a class 12 student. For another student at Geeta Bal Bharti School, the feeling was similar to that of attending first day at school.

“It does not feel like I am coming to school after ten months, it feels like I have come to school for the first time. I am looking forward to the preparations for board exams here,” she said.

The school put up posters of “welcome back” in corridors where teachers stood with sanitisers and checked the temperature of each student before letting them in. Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Mandawali decorated the premises with balloons and the teachers showered flower petals on students, welcoming them.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited a school in Chirag Enclave to assess the readiness of schools to welcome class 10 and 12 students. 

Gajay Singh, Vice-Principal of Anglo Sanskrit Victoria Jubilee Senior Secondary School told ANI, “We have asked students to come only with the consent of the parents. Without the consent letter, no entry of students will be allowed in the school premises.”

“All students have been directed to follow COVID-19 guidelines. We are also making sure that students sanitise their hands regularly and maintain social distancing in the school premises. We are checking the temperature regularly of every student before they enter the school premises,” he Singh added.

Calling students in different slots, shorter school hours, frequent sanitisation and staggered entry and exit are among the plans of various schools in the national capital as they gear to welcome class 10 and 12 students for the first time in the academic session.

The schools have been instructed by the Directorate of Education (DoE) to follow all COVID-19 guidelines when classroom studies resume. 

The Delhi government has allowed all schools outside Covid-19 containment zones here to reopen for classes 10 and 12 from January 18 in view of board exams. However, it made clear that physical attendance is not compulsory and students will attend schools only with the consent of parents.

Allowing 15 students at a time in a classroom, placing handwashing consoles and sanitisers in corridors, volunteers to ensure social distancing is maintained, temperature checks and medical facilities on standby if any student is not feeling well, are among various other initiatives planned by schools.

Schools are also working out plans to ensure that students who choose not to come to campus, do not miss out anything.

Source: PTI

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