Schools in Mumbai closed for more than 700 days: Parents complaints authorities

Schools in Mumbai should be, says a group of parents under 'Parent Association of Mumbai 2021' in alliance with MESTA (Maharashtra English School Trustees Association). The parents have written to the Maharashtra Chief Minister and the Commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner. They are asking to reopen the schools urgently by Monday, January 24.

"Children of Maharashtra have suffered the most with schools being closed for 700 days and counting. While education should be an essential service like it is in other countries around the world, it has been more than distressing for citizens to see no importance given to education and children in Mumbai and Maharashtra," said the letter written by parents to the Chief Minister.

The government had decided to take another fortnight to make a decision about the school opening. However, the parents association asked, "why are bars, restaurants, malls, gyms, kids' play areas indoors, etc all allowed to be open while schools are not?

Is it more important to go to bars and drink and or malls to hang around, but not important enough for children to go to school and study that too when they haven't been there for 700 days?"

The parents called schools non-commercial areas and not spreaders. However, they pointed to areas like malls, restaurants, and bars as super spreaders and commercials.