Omicron variant: Educational institutions closed in Indian capital

New Delhi: Amid the rising number of Omicron variant cases in the Indian capital city, the New Delhi government has ordered closure of schools, colleges and educational institutions till further orders under a "yellow alert" take effect in the capital from today.

According to the Indian media, private offices to function with 50 per cent staff barring those designated essential services, which includes media, banks, insurance companies and telecom services as per the new rules. The restrictions follow Delhi's biggest single-day spike in infections in six months yesterday, with 331 new cases.

Meanwhile, Delhi government announced winter break for pre-primary and primary classes upto Class 5 from January 1 to 15. The circular issued on December 27 notified, "The online/ offline teaching learning activities through worksheets, shall not be conducted during this period."

During the winter break, the Sarvodaya Vidyalayas are instructed to revise the syllabus of the academic session 2021-22 covered so far.

"The assessment record of winter break assignments/ activities must be maintained scrupulously and shall count towards internal assessment. Class- teachers may be further directed to make a note of the strengths and weakness of the students of their respective classes, so that individual attention may be given to each student after the winter vacation," the circular mentioned.

The schools should inform the students about the winter break assignments, and students should submit the completed assignments/ activities to the class teachers.

The schools in the national capital resumed for offline classes from December 20 for the students of Class 6 to 12 after a long gap amid the second wave of Covid, and then due to pollution.