Delhi schools to continue in offline mode, to ensure Covid protocols are followed: Officials

NEW DELHI: Schools in Delhi will continue in offline mode but they will have to ensure that Covid protocols are strictly followed, officials said on Wednesday.

Reports of infections from schools have triggered concerns weeks after they opened for offline classes following a two-year gap due to the pandemic.

Experts have been warning against closure of schools yet again citing learning losses. "Schools will not be closed and will continue with offline classes. Schools have been asked to report all cases to the education department and ensure that Covid protocols are followed strictly. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is constantly monitoring the situation in schools," a senior official said.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), in its meeting on Wednesday, decided to come up with a separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for schools in consultation with experts.

During the crucial meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the Covid situation in Delhi was reviewed. The DDMA decided to make wearing of masks mandatory in public places and impose a fine of Rs 500 on violators.

Schools across Delhi-NCR have sprung into action following a spike in Covid cases and are taking various measures, including frequent sanitisation, to restrict the spread of the virus to a minimum and thus avoid shutdown of the campus.

The Haryana education department has directed schools in the state not to make it mandatory for students to attend physical classes at a time when scores of students and staff in institutes across NCR cities have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The Delhi government had last week issued guidelines for schools asking them to close specific wings or classrooms wherever any student or teacher is found infected.