Noida schools to remain shut for in-person classes today and tomorrow
The decision has been taken so that students do not get stuck in traffic as the number of Kanwariyas on the road is expected to increase on Wednesday and Thursday
All schools in Noida from classes 1-12, across all boards, will be closed from July 31 to August 1 for in-person classes, in view of the Kanwar Yatra in the district, the district inspector of schools (DIOS) Dharamveer Singh said in an order issued on the instructions of the district magistrate on Monday.
The order said: “In view of the Kanwar Yatra, due to the instructions given by the District Magistrate, all the schools of all the boards of classes 1 to 12 of the district will not operate physically on 31.07.2024 and 01.08.2024 (Wednesday and Thursday).”
Singh said, “The decision has been taken so that students do not get stuck in traffic as the number of Kanwariyas on the road is expected to increase on Wednesday and Thursday. Schools are allowed to conduct virtual or online classes these two days. However, Friday is a designated holiday as declared by the district magistrate earlier, on account of Sawan Shivratri and neither physical nor virtual classes will be held on that day.”
Several private schools sent notices to students and parents with schedules for online classes on Tuesday. “The two days of closure is not to be taken as a two-day holiday by students, as online classes will be conducted and the schedule for the same was dispersed among all students and parents on Tuesday,” said Aditi Basu Roy, district president, All India Principals’ Association (Gautam Budh Nagar chapter).
Manoj Kataria, founder of the Gautam Budh Nagar Parents Welfare Society, said the directives come at the right time as parents were getting concerned about their wards getting stuck in traffic while on their way to school and back.
“As traffic diversions are in place and the number of Kanwar pilgrims will increase on the two days before Sawan Shivratri, the decision to suspend physical classes is welcome. Commuters have been facing traffic snarls, but parents do not want their children to get stuck in it. Moreover, parents are relieved that students will not lag on the syllabus as online classes will continue,” he said.
Traffic diversions have been put in place at several places in Noida in view of the Kanwar Yatra. The traffic police have reserved two of four lanes from Okhla Bird Sanctuary to Okhla Barrage for the devotees carrying Kanwars and restricted traffic to two lanes till August 4.