The Directorate of Education issued an order Monday for all schools in the national capital to conduct hybrid classes for students up to Class V, responding to the persistent air quality concerns in Delhi. This comes as part of efforts the city is making to minimize health risks posed by the deteriorating air quality that has reached alarming levels over the past few days.
All Heads of Government, Government aided and Recognized Private schools under the DoE, NDMC, MCD and Delhi Cantonment Board have been instructed in the circular by the DoE to implement hybrid learning for younger students. Hybrid learning is specified to be adopted wherever feasible, as an immediate measure, effective immediately and will remain applicable unless otherwise notified.
The move follows deteriorating air quality in the nation’s capital. Delhi AQI has now risen to 379 as recorded yesterday, putting pollution into a very poor category. It had touched poor levels with 294 during the previous day. City’s Pollution has been such severe that stringent measures are undertaken to bring down exposure to harmful air.
Delhi has now entered Stage III under GRAP measures, which prohibit the use of petrol vehicles that do not meet BS-III emission standards and diesel vehicles which do not meet BS-IV norms. These measures are implemented to curb the sources of air pollution and improve public health safety.
Earlier this year, on November 25, all schools in Delhi switched to hybrid learning due to the deteriorating air quality. In-person classes resumed on December 5, but with the recent spike in pollution levels, the DoE has once again mandated a shift to hybrid classes for younger students.
This is yet another measure the city has undertaken to provide continuity in education and to meet concerns for public health, where the levels of pollution remain serious enough to affect the respiratory system. The DoE decision will serve to minimize the poor quality of air from affecting the student’s well-being and to ensure education does not come to a grinding halt during these challenging times.