As Covid-19 fears loom, Maharashtra postpones school reopening

Gallery

MORE...

Sports

Men’s Sr Hockey Nationals to be played in division-based format from April 4

The 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship, set to take place from April 4 to

Mensik denies Djokovic 100th title in Miami final

KIPG: Son of a vegetable vendor, Bihar’s Jhandu Kumar eyes Worlds, 2028 Paralympics

Hardik Singh credits hard work and team unity for receiving HI Midfielder of the Year award

Djokovic, Alcaraz land in same half of Miami draw

India to host 2nd Asian Yogasana Championships from March 29 to 31

MORE...

As Covid-19 fears loom, Maharashtra postpones school reopening

Last Updated : 12 Aug 2021 02:05:08 PM IST

As Covid-19 fears loom, Maharashtra postpones school reopening

The Maharashtra government has postponed the reopening of schools - scheduled to re-start from August 17 - following a meeting of the Covid-19 Task Force held late on Wednesday, officials said here on Thursday.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and attended by Task Force members, education and health department officials as well as a few district collectors, was held to decide on reopening of schools.

It decided that while some of the schools in rural areas, where there is no threat from coronavirus will continue to function, all other schools in the state -- shut since March 2020 -- will not restart from August 17 as was planned earlier.

Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik pointed out that in certain other states like Punjab, where schools were allowed to reopen, there was a sharp increase in the number of juvenile Covid patients.

The experts opined that since there is no vaccination available for the children who could be vulnerable to the infection, decision on reopening the schools should not be taken immediately.

Now, the Task Force, Education Department officials will meet and discuss the matter with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who would take a final call on the issue.

Presently, offline classes from Std VII-XII are allowed with restrictions and Covid-19 protocols, but students in the lower classes will not be able to return to schools until further orders.