Manish Sisodia writes to HRD Minister Pokhriyal, bats for reopening of schools amid COVID

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has written to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank supporting the ministry in its initiative to reopen schools with reasonable guidelines. The Deputy CM highlighted in his letter as CM Arvind Kejriwal had pointed out that we need to learn to live with the Coronavirus and that the reopening of schools with precautions is a step in the right direction. 

Sisodia, who also heads the Delhi Education Ministry, wrote, "First of all we need to assure every child, irrespective of age and social class that they are important to us and all of them have an equal right to physical and intellectual space of their respective schools. The clamour of online teaching or older children coming to school first and not the younger ones should be put to rest."

READ | Centre Issues SOP For Religious Places Ahead Of June 8 Opening: Masks Mandatory, No Prasad

"Since we need to learn to live with Corona now, it would be better if the already existing learning space, which is school, take up that role. But before doing that, parents need to be taken into confidence and they should be explained about the risk factor with facts," he added. 

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: India's Total Cases Rise To 2,36,657; Over One Lakh Recovered

Phase wise reopening

The MHA has stated that lockdown in containment zones will continue till June 30, allowing only essential activities and no movement of people in or out of it. The MHA has stated that all activities will be allowed in other areas except certain activities that will be allowed to restart in phases. It has also imposed a night curfew from 9:00 PM to 5 AM and banned international air travel, metro rails, cinema halls,  gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums and any functions or large gathering. 

READ | Haryana Schools To Re-open From July; Function With 50 Percent Strength: Education Min

• Phase 1: From June 8, religious places, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls will be allowed to reopen but will have to adhere to SOPs which will be issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
• Phase 2: Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will be opened in consultation with respective states and Union Territories from July 2020. An SOP will be issued for the same by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
• Phase 3: After further assessment of the prevalent COVID-19 conditions, resuming of international air travel, metros, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, social/political/sports/religious/cultural functions will be decided.

READ | Bihar District Education Officers Asked To Submit Report About Re-opening Of Schools