Maharashtra schools to reopen from October 4: Varsha Gaikwad

'Though schools will reopen in the entire state, there is no compulsion for students to attend physical classes. Consent of parents will be necessary if they want to attend,' the minister added

Schools would reopen across Maharashtra from October 4, the state government said on Friday.

“All the schools in rural areas will resume physical classes for standards 5th to 12th," said school education minister Varsha Gaikwad.

Physical classes for standards 8th to 12th would resume everywhere in urban areas, she added.

Until now schools were conducting physical classes only in those areas which were reporting relatively fewer Covid-19 cases.

Also Read: Mumbai schools could reopen post-Diwali

Physical classes would not resume yet for standards 1st to 7th in urban areas and standards 1st to 4th in rural areas.

“Though schools will reopen in the entire state, there is no compulsion for students to attend physical classes. Consent of parents will be necessary if they want to attend," the minister added.

As per a survey conducted by the school education department, more than 70 per cent parents favoured reopening of schools, Gaikwad said.

It was reported earlier that while the State Task Force has given a go ahead for starting the process of reopening schools in a phased manner, it was decided at a paediatric task force meeting held recently that local corporations will take the final call on whether to restart in-person classes in the schools in their areas. Sources told mid-day that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was looking at reopening schools in Mumbai post the Diwali break.

(With PTI inputs)

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