Delhi Schools closed amid severe air pollution; Principals, teachers, parents demand alternate solution

As the National Capital chokes amid dangerously severe air quality, the Delhi government has announced early winter breaks in schools. All schools are closed in Delhi until November 18. Read further to know how principals, teachers and parents are reacting!

Delhi Air Pollution: The Delhi government announced early winter break for all schools as the National Capital chokes under severe AQI. The schools are closed from November 9 to November 18. Many schools are also conducting online classes to avoid delays in the academic calendar. As the air pollution in the national capital continues to remain in the ‘severe’ category, school principals, teachers, as well as parents are tensed considering the health and safety of children along with neglected academics. Earlier, due to the deteriorating air quality, holidays were announced from November 3 to November 10.

Is school closure the only solution?

“Yes, I am happy that the government has taken the consideration to close schools amid such bad air quality in Delhi. However, it is concerning that, studies are being affected. Class 8, 9 are the foundation classes for Boards. It has been only a year since schools have reopened full-fledged after Covid-19. Now, this pollution thing and eventually the severe cold will also lead to the closure of schools. All these situations are affecting academic,” Sunita Saha, mother of a Class 8 student, Abhinav Public School, Rohini.  

Talking about students not taking online education seriously, Ajinder Kaur, Senior In-charge, of DAV Public School (Pushpanjali Enclave) said, “Desperate situations call for desperate measures. This sudden closure of schools in response to choking Delhi is certainly a good move. As we, all know primary schools were closed last week and senior classes were asked to shift online. Though online is better than completely shutting down from our experience, we also know that students do not take online classes very seriously. Attendance is usually thin in these classes and if they log in they are not attentive. Therefore, I feel it is better to close down now as schools were to close for Diwali break but the apprehension is that will we be able to keep the schools open during the usual winter break time as generally at that time cold wave grips Delhi.”

Asking the government to find alternate solutions, Kaur added, “In present scenario what one feels is that teaching-learning is worst affected whether it’s Covid, cold wave or Pollution. We need to find out some solution as shutting down schools cannot always be an option. This solution can be changing summer break time or examination schedule and utilising better weather months for teaching.”

Make masks compulsory, install air purifiers!

Meanwhile, Swati Taneja, mother of Khushboo Taneja, St Giri Public School, believes that taking proper precautions is the right way to combat air pollution and shutting down schools is not an option.

“Schools should take proper measures like installing air purifiers, cancelling outdoor activities and morning assemblies, etc. Students should be taught ways to curb pollution like not burn crackers etc. Closing schools should not be an option as this makes them look forward to such menace in a positive outlook in order to stay home. Children have lost the social touch in their lives. Various Lockdowns during COVID has disconnected them from the outside world. Another closure may or may not be beneficial amid rising pollution but it would definitely further increase the academic gap.”

"We don’t think school should be closed. The rising level of pollution is a larger problem that poses health threat to anyone in the Delhi/NCR region irrespective of location. Closing schools won’t bring pollution down but might only aggravate the learning loss of students who would miss out on classes. It would affect the academic progress, social-emotional development and skill development among students. It may even cause mental health issues. The way forward should be to come up with a sustainable solution that involves all stakeholders, from the government, and communities to individuals. Schools can help reduce Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) by keeping the dust pollution on campus in check. We can keep the rooms well-ventilated, but the most important initiative would be creating awareness on the importance of cutting down pollution. It’s a societal problem and the solution has to be found collectively and collaboratively," said Shalini Nambiar, Director Principal, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad. 

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