November 25, 2020.
TED NewsDesk, New Delhi: Manish Sisodia, who is the deputy CM as well as the education minister of Delhi, said on Tuesday that there is a high chance that schools will reopen after we have made a COVID-19 vaccine available to the people. Keeping in mind the health and safety of children and staff and the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital, it is a welcome suggestion.
Sisodia said, “We keep getting feedback from parents that they are concerned about whether it is safe to reopen schools. It is not. Wherever schools have reopened, COVID-19 cases among children have risen. So we have decided that as of now, schools in the national capital will not reopen. They will continue to be closed till further orders.”
Schools were closed as part of the nationwide lockdown on March 16 in a move to control further spread of coronavirus. On October 30, Sisodia has ordered for the schools to remain closed keeping in mind the displeasure of the parents and a dangerous rise in new coronavirus cases. The parents are not too enthusiastic about sending their kids to attend classes yet and are waiting for the cases to at least go down in intensity before deciding anything.
Although, according to the Unlock 5 guidelines, states were allowed to open educational institutions upon their discretion, keeping in mind the spread of the virus in their particular state. But after a few states reopening schools in stages, they are closing back up again due to the sudden rise in new COVID-19 cases. For instance, from September 21st, classes 9 to 12 were allowed to attend classes under strict guidelines, but the Delhi government put their foot down.
On Monday, 4,454 new COVID-19 cases have been registered with a positivity rate of 11.94 per cent. The death toll rests on 8,512 on Monday with 121 more new deaths. Delhi recorded its highest number of new COVID-19 cases on November 11 with 8,593 cases in one day, with 85 deaths. Additionally, the number of fatalities have been recorded over 100 for the sixth time in the past two weeks.
With such a dangerous condition of the novel coronavirus in Delhi, it seems impossible that educational institutions will open at any point of time shortly. If the Kejriwal government pays more attention to the health crisis, it will be very beneficial for everyone concerned.
Source: Business Standard
