Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia said on Wednesday that the state government will recommend the reopening of schools in Delhi during the DDMA meeting because school reopening has become necessary to prevent further damage to the social and emotional well-being of children.
DDMA Meeting to be Held on Thursday
The deputy chief minister asserted that online education can never replace offline education and that the Delhi government had closed schools when it was unsafe for children to attend physical classes, but excessive caution is now harming students.
Considering the improved situation in the state, a meeting to discuss easing restrictions has been called by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
The matter of school reopening is also on the agenda.
Children Spending More Time in Front of Screens
Speaking on children’s increased dependency on technology, the deputy chief minister said, “In the past two years, school children’s lives have been confined to their rooms. Instead of going to schools and spending time in playgrounds, all their activities now take place only on mobile phones.”
Explaining further, he said, “The pandemic induced school closures have not only affected their studies but also their mental health. During COVID, our priority was children’s safety.”
School Reopening is Important for Students
“But since various researches have now found that Covid-19 is not so harmful to kids, it is important to reopen the schools, as now is the time for exams and related preparations,” he added further. The deputy chief minister, who also holds the education portfolio, further remarked that schools are being reopened in several countries and even many Indian states.
“On this basis, the Delhi government will recommend reopening of schools in the DDMA meeting scheduled on January 27,” he continued.
He then added, “While the Covid-19 cases and positivity rate are on the decline in Delhi, it would not be suitable to keep children away from schools. With children returning to schools, not only will the schools witness a buzz but it will also indicate lives coming back on track.”
Experts on Reopening of Schools
A group of parents led by Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist and public policy expert, met with Sisodia earlier today and delivered a letter signed by over 1,600 parents requesting that the schools be reopened.
The deputy chief minister remarked further, “Why we are the last among major countries to decide on this? I agree with their demands. A generation of children will be left behind if we do not open our schools now.”
Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya further pointed out, the risk associated with COVID is very less among children according to AIIMS, ICMR, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, NITI Aayog, WHO, and several other organizations.
“School closures have a few advantages but its negative impact on children’s learning and mental-emotional well-being was very high. Hence, reopening of schools is a crying need of the hour,” he added.
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