Delhi schools to reopen for Classes IX, XI next week
What's the story
Schools in Delhi will be reopening for Classes IX and XI from next Friday, Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Friday.
Sisodia said colleges, degree, and diploma institutes will also be allowed to open.
Schools have remained shut since March last year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. They had reopened for Classes X and XII earlier this month.
Details
Physical attendance not compulsory, says Sisodia
Addressing a press conference, Sisodia said, "Schools for Classes IX and XI students, as well as colleges and degree diploma institutions, will reopen in Delhi from February 5, following COVID protocols."
"The students will attend classes in a staggered manner and with the permission of parents," he said.
Students will attend classes with parental consent, and physical attendance is not compulsory, he added.
Recent news
Schools reopened for Classes X, XII on January 18
Schools across India were closed last year when the nationwide lockdown came into force on March 25, 2020.
The central government had allowed state/union territory governments to reopen schools from October 15 with certain conditions, however, keeping the outbreak in mind, schools continue to remain shut in many regions.
On January 18, Delhi had allowed schools to reopen for Classes X and XII.
Outbreak
How bad is the outbreak in Delhi?
As of Thursday night, Delhi had reported a total of 6,34,524 cases, with 199 more people testing positive over a 24-hour period.
The total cases include 1,575 active infections, while 6,22,114 patients have recovered since the beginning of the pandemic. The death toll stands at 10,835.
The outbreak in the national capital has slowed down considerably since hitting a peak in mid-November.