Delhi schools to remain shut till October 31 — Most Indian states remain wary of reopening schools as well

• The coronavirus pandemic is showing a declining trend in India, except for two to three states.
• Under the Unlock 5.0 guidelines, schools have gradually reopened in states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Sikkim.
• However, some of the states and union territories (UTs), including New Delhi, have decided against reopening schools citing safety concerns.
  

The coronavirus pandemic is showing a declining trend in India, except for two to three states. In September, India had reported the worst single-day spike of new COVID-19 cases at nearly 100,000. Over the past few days, India has been reporting less than 50,000 cases daily.

With it, children across several states — Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Sikkim — have been masking up and returning to the classroom. However, some of the states and union territories (UTs), including New Delhi, have decided not to re-open schools citing concerns for safety by parents.

When the central government initially gave the go-ahead for schools to reopen, Uttar Pradesh was the only big state to consider a phased re-opening. Most of the states decided not to re-open schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Here’s the status of schools across the country —

The Indian government, while announcing the guidelines under Unlock 5.0, permitted schools to reopen. However, it left the final decision to state governments based on the on-ground situation.

The Punjab government allowed both private and public schools to reopen from October 19 for the students of class 9,10, 11 and 12th. The schools in Punjab are permitted to open for three hours daily and are expected to strictly follow the standard operating procedure.

Schools in Haryana’s Gurugram also reopened from October 15 in a graded manner. However, schools reportedly have difficulty finding the space to accommodate everyone and keep inline with social distancing norms.

The Uttar Pradesh government also allowed private and public schools to reopen from October 15. According to reports, some of the largest private schools in Noida have been equipped with cameras to help parents monitor their children in real-time and allay any concerns.

The Himachal Pradesh government allowed schools to reopen for the students of class 9 to class 12th from November 2. It also allowed colleges to resume classes.

The Delhi government, on the other hand, decided not to open schools. According to Education Minister Manish Sisodiya, all schools shall remain closed till October 31 since parents are still concerned about safety.

The West Bengal government has delayed the decision to re-open schools until after Diwali.

Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh have also decided not to reopen schools amid COVID-19.

Some of the states like Rajasthan are yet to decide on the reopening of schools. Reports suggest that the government may allow schools to reopen from November 2.

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