Maharashtra to reopen schools for classes 1 to 12 from 24 Jan in areas with fewer COVID cases
Varsha Gaikwad on Thursday said that schools for classes 1 to 12 in the state can be reopened for offline classroom sessions from 24 January.
Maharashtra minister Varsha Gaikwad on Thursday said that schools for classes 1 to 12 in the state can be reopened for offline classroom sessions from 24 January.
"Schools in areas where coronavirus cases are fewer can restart physical classes," she added.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has approved a proposal to this effect sent to him by the school education department, Gaikwad told reporters.
"Written instructions on this will be issued either today or tomorrow," the school education minister added.
Maharashtra schools were closed in the first week of January due to a spike in the coronavirus cases and in the wake of the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
However, a number of parents, activists in the field as well as teachers had strongly opposed the move to shut the schools, saying it would adversely affect the students.
In Mumbai, the local civic body had announced the closure of schools for classes 1 to 9 till 31 January.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) assessment had indicated that the cases of Omicron infection are not on the rise, and it had said that the curve was flattening. It prompted the officials to propose the reopening of schools for physical classes.
