Delhi Govt: Classes for new academic year to be conducted online

Keeping in perspective the new wave of Covid-19 infections that have hit India, the Delhi Government announced its decision to ask government schools to not make students attend physical offline classes for the new academic session of 2021-22 until further orders.

Only students possessing consent letters from their parents would be subject to summons from schools for the purpose of providing academic guidance and assisting them in preparing for upcoming examinations, according to the Directorate of Education of Delhi.

Students studying in classes 9th to 12th will be summoned to sit for mid-term, pre-board, annual, and board exams and for practical classes. Owing to a spike in COVID-19 incidents, schools have been advised not to offer routine physical classes for students.

An education department government official said, “The last reopening orders were issued to ensure that schools manage to conduct practical and remedial classes for these students [of classes 9-12]. It was also to prepare students for the CBSE Class 10 and 12 board exams. The order was for a specific purpose. The government has not yet allowed schools to reopen normally for senior students,” he added “Delhi government schools will on Thursday begin the new session for students of Class 9 and below remotely. Private schools cannot resume offline classes without the government’s permission.”

Delhi schools have been directed to make the parents as well as students aware of the changes in class conduction and have been advised to maintain precautions when conducting physical classes.

The circular which notified of the change read as, “Heads of all government, government-aided, and recognised un-aided schools are hereby directed to comply with the above instructions and disseminate this information to all teachers, students and parents through SMC/Mass SMS facility/phone calls etc."