Delhi schools to reopen for Class 6 and above from today; air quality remains in very ‘poor category’

Schools in the national capital will reopen for Class 6 and above from Saturday, a day after approval was given by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the national capital region and adjoining areas. On Friday, the CAQM reviewed the restrictions imposed on the reopening of schools, colleges and educational institutions.

“All the government, government aided, unaided recognized, NDMC, MCDs and Delhi Cantonment Board Schools will reopen from December 18 for classes 6 onwards,” the Delhi government said in a statement issued right after the CAQM’s order on Friday.

For students up to Class 5, physical classes will resume from December 27, taking into consideration the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the winter vacation schedule, the CAQM said.

However, classes will be conducted in a hybrid model with both online and offline lectures. Teachers, parents and experts welcomed the above decision as they pointed out that students were deprived of interpersonal interactions for a long time

Earlier, schools in Delhi were set to resume physical classes from November 29. However, environment minister Gopal Rai announced on December 2 that schools will be closed until further orders.

His statement came as the Supreme Court pulled up the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led- Delhi government for resuming classes amid an alarming rise in the levels of air pollution in the Capital.

“When the government implemented work from home for adults then why are children being forced to go to school?,” the Supreme Court had asked the government on December 2.

Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi remained in the very poor category on Friday with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 339. A layer of fog has been formed in the Capital and temperature is expected to drop further.