The Maharashtra government’s Covid task force believes that schools should not be opened before Diwali said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday.
“The decision regarding reopening of schools will be taken in consultation with the task force. We will go ahead when it tells us to do so. However, considering the situation at present, the task force is of the opinion that schools shouldn’t be reopened before Diwali,” said Pawar after chairing a Covid-19 review meeting in Pune.
“A section of parents and management of educational institutions feel that the government shouldn’t wait for so long. It’s an opinion that schools should be opened in districts with zero per cent Covid-19 positivity rate. The final decision will be taken by the chief minister in this regard,” Pawar said.
“Colleges can be allowed to reopen for students who are aged above 18 and have taken both the vaccine doses. Teachers and non-teaching staff should also have been fully vaccinated. They can be allowed to hold offline classes by following social distancing norms,” Pawar added.
Earlier this month, State School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had announced that offline classes would commence on August 17 in rural areas for the students of classes 5 to 8, while in cities, offline classes would be held for students from classes IX to XII following Covid-19 protocols.
