As students from nursery to class 8 head back to school on Monday, the Delhi government plans on easing them into the routine by spending the first two weeks focusing on their social and emotional well-being through foundational activities.
Schools in the Capital have been instructed to conduct on-campus counselling of students to prepare them for the new normal of stringent COVID-19 protocols that include physical distancing, face mask and hygiene guidelines.
While schools opened for junior classes briefly in October, the students have been away from physical classes for nearly two years. Many of the students below class two will be attending school for the first time, which has made parents anxious not only about their health but how they will adjust socially. Schools have been instructed to spend time organizing activities to help students share their experiences freely and explore the new school environment. “School closure for two years has widened the learning gaps among students. In such a situation, it is important that when they return to school, teachers’ focus should be on supporting their social and emotional well being and strengthening the foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills through various activities,” the Directorate of Education said. It added that teachers will conduct one-on-one interactions with children to assess their reading and numeracy levels and understand their emotional state. Instead of starting with new topics, students will revise what they have been taught earlier via worksheets and effort will be made to reintegrate children with their school by creating a suitable environment instead of hurrying them to catch up with the syllabus.
Schools have been instructed to ensure that students follow social distancing and there is no gathering at entry/exit gates of the school and that classrooms are properly ventilated and not overcrowded. Students will have to get consent from their parents to visit the school and hybrid learning will continue simultaneously for some time to ensure a smooth transition.
For board examination classes, the DOE has issued instructions to ensure that there is 100% attendance as students have their CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) board examination beginning from April 26. Physical schooling reopened for students from classes 8-12 on February 7 under the staggered reopening plan ordered by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority.
