Maharashtra government has planned to reopen schools for classes 5 to 12 in rural areas and for classes 8 to 12 in urban areas on August 17, 2021. Varsha Gaikwad, the Minister of School Education, has released a set of SOPs for the safe return of pupils to their schools.
The Maharashtra government has agreed to enable more pupils to attend offline sessions at their schools. Varsha Gaikwad, the Minister of School Education, announced on Tuesday that children in Schools 5 to 12 will be able to attend classes in rural areas beginning August 17 and in urban areas beginning August 18. Students in grades 8 through 12 will be permitted to visit schools. Schools in Maharashtra will reopen in places where the coronavirus outbreak has been contained. A set of SOPs for pupils’ safe return to school has also been provided by the ministry.
The minister stated that it is ultimately up to the parents to decide whether or not to send their children to school.
“Parental consent is really important to us; 81 percent of parents agreed in a @scertmaha survey that they want schools to reopen, therefore on July 15, 8-12th grade classes began in corona-free communities. Parents will have the last word on their children’s physical presence, and attendance standards have been relaxed,” Ms. Gaikwad added.
When Maharashtra’s schools reopen, instructional hours will be limited to three to four hours per day, with no cultural or sporting events permitted, according to the state’s School Education Minister. In the event of an emergency, schools will be required to offer isolation facilities and collaborate with local health services.
The district collectors in Mumbai, Thane, and 11 other districts with Covid limitations have been given the authority to assess danger locally and determine whether or not to reopen schools, according to the ministry.
“Vaccination of instructors and employees has been made mandatory for the protection of the workers and pupils. We’ve also formed a task group led by the collector/commissioner to oversee school reopening and safety,” Ms. Gaikwad said on Twitter.
Schools will summon students on shifts or alternate days to ensure that just 15-20 kids are present in class at any given time, according to the minister. One student will sit on a bench, with a six-foot separation between the two benches. “Each school will be required to develop a safe transportation plan for students.”
“If the student or a family member becomes ill, the student is encouraged to stay at home. Ms. Gaikwad continued, “It will be the school’s obligation to ensure that such a student’s learning deficit is covered by the school.”
Given the possibility of a third wave of Covid, the minister stated that there will be no slackening in the implementation of these SOPs.
