The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) recently announced that the schools in Mumbai would remain closed until December 31, in the wake of the surge in COVID19 cases in the city. Following the same, Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad has clarified that the local authorities will be responsible for taking a decision on reopening schools in their respective areas after assessing the coronavirus situation.
The minister also said that the online classes will continue and students can still attend them and learn. While addressing the media, she said, "They are expected to consider the current coronavirus situation and the health of the students as well as the teaching staff. I have given necessary instructions to the officials concerned."
With regards to schools in other districts like Nashik, Pune, etc., Gaikwad confirmed that she has spoken with the various district collectors and asked them to take a decision based on their assessment. She also stated that she has spoken with other district collectors and all of them shared their readiness to reopen the schools from November 23, 2020.
"The local officials, such as municipal commissioner, district collector, block development officer in Zilla Parishads and education officer, will have to discuss the situation in their respective areas and reopen the schools accordingly," Gaikwad said.
The Maharashtra government had earlier announced that classes 9 to 12 of schools in the state will reopen from November 23, the minister told reporters.
As on Friday, November 20, Mumbai witnessed a spike in the new cases for the third consecutive day. A total of 1,031 people had tested positive on the same day bringing the total count to 2, 73, 480. Meanwhile, Maharashtra reported a single-day rise of 5,535 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, which took its overall tally to 17,63,055, while the death of 154 patients pushed the fatality count to 46,356.
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