Maharashtra schools likely to open only after Diwali

Schools in Maharashtra are likely to open only after the Diwali festive season, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has said. He said that the state government’s Covid Task Force has recommended for schools to start after Diwali.

“We are constantly engaged with the Covid Task Force and if they ask us to go ahead (in opening up of schools) then we will,” Pawar said on Friday. “As of now, however, they have said that the schools should not start till Diwali.” He said several parents school managements feel that schools can start now, especially in districts where the Covid-19 cases are currently nil. “The chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) would take a final decision on it,” Pawar said.

State school education minister Varsha Gaikwad had on August 10 said schools would reopen from August 17 between standard 8 to 12 in urban areas and 5th to 7th in rural areas. However, the state government quickly scrapped the decision as the Covid Task Force had reservations on the move to open schools. Task force members felt that since children have not been vaccinated it would be risky to allow schools to reopen.