Delhi schools likely to reopen next month, DDMA to review situation in Aug 27 meeting

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority is set to take a decision regarding the reopening of schools on Friday. According to official sources, the authority is holding a meeting and is expected to discuss the reopening of schools as the COVID-19 situation improved in the state. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be attending the meeting along with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

DDMA to consider reopening of Delhi schools by next month

In view of an improved COVID-19 situation, the DDMA will consider reopening the schools soon. The meeting would discuss the report of an expert committee which has suggested reopening of schools in a phased manner. According to the committee’s report, the schools have been recommended to open next month starting with the senior classes.

Delhi has marked an improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, since recovering from the second wave. Speaking on the subject, CM Kejriwal on Wednesday said that the Delhi government wanted schools to be reopened as soon as possible. However, the CM also noted that the government is evaluating the matter and is considering all factors. "There has been a mixed experience of states which have reopened schools. We have been monitoring the situation. We want the schools to be reopened as soon as possible but don't want to take any risk to the safety of students. We will take a decision soon," the chief minister had said. 

Earlier on August 6, Lieutenant Governor Baijal had asked officials to set up an expert committee to chalk out a detailed plan regarding the reopening of schools. The Lieutenant governor had noted that there was no harm in calling students back to schools in Delhi. The expert committee was set up after the DDMA was informed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia that around 90 per cent of the parents wanted the schools to reopen. Schools in Delhi have shut down ahead of the first national pandemic induced lockdown back in March.

COVID situation in Delhi

Bouncing back from the brutal wave that took many lives and caused an oxygen shortage in the state, Delhi reported no fatalities on Thursday. This was the sixteenth day that the national capital logged zero fatality since the starting of the second wave of the pandemic. Delhi recorded 45 fresh cases with a test positivity rate of 0.06 per cent.

IMAGE: PTI