Maharashtra Officials Will Decide on School Reopening After Diwali

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has said that officials will make a final decision regarding the reopening of schools in the state of Maharashtra after Diwali. Schools can begin opening in a phased manner after the holiday if COVID-19 cases are under control within Mumbai and surrounding areas. Additionally, the state government has formed a committee to lay down the school reopening guidelines.

Furthermore, the government will also emphasise standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the transitory period. These suggested SOPs will cover school hours, social distancing norms inside classrooms, setting up school health clinics, and many more. The government has stated that sanitisation of schools and the wearing of masks are mandatory protocols. Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also declared that their representatives would do some preparatory groundwork before the start of physical classes. However, the authorities will declare the exact status of reopening schools in Maharashtra after considering the COVID-19 situations after Diwali.

Earlier in the month, schools within Delhi obtained a green light to begin offline learning. Other states have also taken similar measures in the introduction of in-person classes, especially for older students. Former ICMR scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar has also suggested that there should be a decentralised approach to open schools. In an interview, Gangakhedkar asserted that officials must continue to observe recent studies and research papers for this decision.