All India Parents Association (AIPA) President Ashok Aggarwal said that this is a very sad step, and the decision makers have neither heart nor mind as the prolonged shutdown can lead to class divides and inequality in education. will lead to.
“There has already been a lot of damage to the studies and childhood of the students which is irreparable. There is no scientific basis for closing the schools. It has reduced employment and people have to face hunger. So many people are idle at home. Sitting and waiting for schools to reopen.” she added. Sumedha Goel, Director, Shri Ram Wonder Years, Rohini suggested that schools for junior classes should be reopened in a phased manner, keeping the hybrid model at the core.
“Keeping schools closed is not a solution. Just as a seedling needs the right amount of water, sunlight, air to grow, a budding child needs social interaction, food for the mind and soul, emotional well-being, etc. Requires holistic development.
“Covid-appropriate behavior will be followed in schools to welcome students and give them a conducive environment for growth and development. We propose the government to enact a law for compulsory immunization, and non-vaccination fined adults.”
The campaign would be beneficial for children below the age of 15 years, Goyal said, adding that the entire school staff should be fully vaccinated, and every fortnight, school spaces would be sanitised.
Schools and colleges in the national capital will remain closed and the issue will be taken up in the next meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), officials said on Thursday.
During the meeting, the Delhi government, for its part, recommended the reopening of schools, saying it was necessary to prevent further damage to the social and economic welfare of the children because of the COVID-19 situation in the capital. have improved.
Anshu Mittal, Principal, MRG School, Rohini said that the pandemic years have undoubtedly shown people the need to revise the curriculum and pedagogical methods.
“Every other country has opened schools, we teachers are deeply concerned about the same for our learners as they are being denied. Now with the introduction of vaccination for the age group of 15-18, we see that children Vaccination for HIV will also soon become a reality, preferably by that time even a large proportion of the adult population would have received their booster shot.
“We have not succumbed to this pandemic and we will not bow down yet. It is important for our leaders to harness the full potential of this quality of resilience that the nation has displayed during these two years. It is indeed I will be an inspirational lesson for our future generations to come,” she said.
Although schools were briefly reopened, they were closed again on December 28 last year in view of the third wave of COVID-19, driven by Omicron Edition.
Outspoken lawyer Tanya Aggarwal said, “Today’s verdict is extremely disappointing. The DDMA chairperson (Lt. Governor) and members should publicly disclose the reasons for the closure of schools, but everything else should be allowed, especially when every It is recommended by an expert body.” Regarding the reopening of schools.
According to a survey conducted by online platform LocalCircle, 74 per cent Delhi parents do not support reopening of schools at this juncture, while 66 per cent parents believe that the test positivity rate (TPR) is 2 Schools will be reopened if the percentage drops to that. or less.
Alka Kapoor, principal of Modern Public School, said, “Fifty percent of the students have been vaccinated and the campaign to vaccinate children of other age groups is about to start in April. With enough precautions, I don’t think there should be any vaccination The problem if we go ahead and open the school now.
“There is a huge disparity between classroom learning and online classes. Education is not just about information gathering, but also about interactivity, social interaction and practical learning; only a classroom setup can provide that.
“Furthermore, prolonged use of online learning can have detrimental effects on students in the long run due to a lack of social and student-teacher interaction … it can lead to behavioral changes and learning anxiety,” she said. said.
Stating that online education can never replace classroom learning, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the government had closed schools when it was not safe for children, but “excessive caution” was harming them. .
A delegation of parents led by Chandrakant Laharia, an epidemiologist and public policy expert, had earlier met Sisodia and submitted a memorandum signed by over 1,600 parents demanding the reopening of schools.
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