Balloons, flowers, sanitisers and smiling faces welcomed class 10 and 12 students in schools in the national capital on Monday

New Delhi: Balloons, flowers, sanitisers and smiling faces welcomed class 10 and 12 students in schools in the national capital on Monday as they returned to campuses after over 10 months.

The students who were elated to be able to attend the first offline class of the academic session wore masks and queued up outside schools maintaining social distance.

Schools

"It was optional to come but I was sure I have to. It is the last year of my school life and I haven't come to school even one day," said Pragati Diwan, an excited class 12 student.

The school put up posters of "welcome back" in corridors where teachers stood with sanitisers and checked the temperature of each student before letting them in.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is also visiting a school in Chirag Enclave on Monday to assess the readiness of schools to welcome class 10 and 12 students.

Manish Sisodia

Calling students in different slots, shorter school hours, frequent sanitisation and staggered entry and exit are among the plans of various schools in the national capital as they gear to welcome class 10 and 12 students on Monday for the first time in the academic session.

The schools are reopening in Delhi after 10 months, after being shut last year to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and they have been instructed by the Directorate of Education (DoE) to follow all Covid-19 guidelines when classroom studies resume.

Schools

Allowing 15 students at a time in a classroom, placing handwashing consoles and sanitisers in corridors, volunteers to ensure social distancing is maintained, temperature checks and medical facilities on standby if any student is not feeling well, are among various other initiatives planned by schools.

Schools are also working out plans to ensure that students who choose not to come to campus, do not miss out anything.