After remaining closed for over 10 months amid the Covid-19 pandemic, schools will reopen for Classes 5 to 8 in state from January 27, state Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said on Friday. Schools and junior colleges for Classes 9 to 12 had reopened in parts of the state earlier this month based on the Covid-19 situation in respective areas.
“I have informed Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that schools can be reopened for Classes 5 to 8 from January 27,” the minister said.Local authorities including district collectors, municipal commissioners and district civil surgeons will have to assess the ground situation before taking a call on reopening schools and colleges, Gaikwad added. Earlier, schools for Classes 9 and 10 commenced after all teachers underwent RT-PCR tests and premises were sanitized. Similar measures will be taken before reopening schools for Classes 5 to 8.