The state government of Maharashtra recently allowed schools across Mumbai to reopen after several months. Schools and institutions across the state shut during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and students attended the classes online for more than one year. However, the government announced the same on September 29, 2021, with different rules of reopening for rural and urban areas. While COVID-19 protocols are being followed at the schools, officials have stated that the attendance at government run, i.e. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run schools has reduced significantly on the second day of reopening.
A report published in the Indian Express reveals that the more than 50 per cent of students did not attend the school, and around 60 per cent of parents had given consent for the same.
Data shared by the civic body stated that over 30,200 students attended the classes on the first day, which further dropped to merely 23,162 on the second day across 755 BMC-run schools in Mumbai. Meanwhile, more than 1.78 lakh students attended the first day of the class, i.e., October 4, 2021, at over 1300 private schools in Mumbai. Figures were not available for the following two days.
The municipal corporation is working towards understanding the same and hence no reasons have been given for the poor attendance. However, an education officer informed that both the students and parents are still trying to adjust to the thought of returning to schools. Since it has been just a few days, and owing to the festivals too, several parents and students might not have opted to regular schooling.
Authorities expect that the attendance will improve after the festival season in October 2021, across both BMC and private schools. Meanwhile, several institutions are still opting online classes or hybrid model across Mumbai. Reports state that 26 out of 781 BMC-run schools have not reopened classes as they are being used as vaccination or quarantine centres, meanwhile, a few have asked students to come for a few days to school every week.
On the other hand, institutions in nearby areas of Mumbai, i.e., from the Metropolitan Region (MMR) have requested the railway authorities to issue passes to students who depend on the Mumbai local trains for their commute. Matters are being discussed by the education department and the municipal commissioner, however, students are able to travel for free on the BEST buses, based on the earlier announcements.
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