New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Delhi government's decision to suspend in-person classes for all except for students of classes 10 and 12 amid alarming levels of pollution in national capital has raised concerns among the interested parties, including students.
While the decision outlined in an official circular aims to protect young children from the hazardous air quality, it has also raised significant concerns among the parents, school authorities, and students.
Sahez, a class 12 student, shared her disappointment about missing out on important programmes in class 11 due to school closures for similar reason last year.
"It feels disheartening to have opportunities taken away because of a recurring problem. Instead of solving it, we’ve learnt to live with it. Holding online classes during peak pollution period only replaces one problem with another as sitting in front of screens for eight hours is equally harmful," she said.
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 484, the worst this season, at 8 am on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
President of Delhi Parents Association (DPA), Aprajhita Gautam, said that parents also face challenges when they receive last-minute notifications about schools going online, leaving them scrambling to figure out how to manage young children at home while going to work.
"There are some parents who did not receive the notification regarding online classes and sent their children to school today, only for them to return," Gautam said.
She added that the government must notify the parents from beforehand and avoid frequent shifts to online classes.
"Many families lack access to extra devices like phones or laptops, leaving some students unable to participate in the online learning process. This disproportionately impacts older students, especially those preparing for board examinations. We urgently need concrete steps to permanently address this issue," Gautam said.
Principal of Bal Bhavan Public School in Mayur Vihar, Vividh Gupta, said while the shift to online classes seems necessary to safeguard students' health given the current situation in the city, the recurring problem demands long-term solutions.
"Every year after Diwali, schools are forced to close due to rising pollution levels which impacts student's studies. It is important for students above class 6 to be involved in activities and lessons that are best experienced in a classroom setting," Gupta said.
Online classes will be suspended for all except for students of classes 10 and 12 until further notice, the Delhi government announced on Sunday as the city choked under alarming levels of pollution for the fifth straight day.
The announcement came hours after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked stricter pollution control measures for Delhi-NCR under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), effective from 8 am Monday.