Maharashtra: Schools for Classes 5 to 8 to reopen from Jan 27

After remaining closed for over10 months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, schools will reopen forClasses 5 to 8 in Maharashtra from January 27, state EducationMinister Varsha Gaikwad said on Friday.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however,said that schools and colleges in Mumbai will stay shut''till further orders''.

Schools and junior colleges for Classes 9 to 12 hadreopened in parts of the state earlier this month based on theCOVID-19 situation in respective areas.

''I have informed Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray thatschools can be reopened for Classes 5 to 8 from January 27,''the minister said.

Local authorities including district collectors,municipal commissioners and district civil surgeons will haveto assess the ground situation before taking a call onreopening schools and colleges, Gaikwad added.

''Earlier, schools for Classes 9 and 10 commenced afterall teachers underwent RT-PCR tests and premises weresanitized. Similar measures will be taken before reopeningschools for Classes 5 to 8,'' she said.

The civic body in Mumbai issued a fresh circularstating that all schools and colleges of various mediums willremain shut till further orders in view of a second wave ofthe virus in other countries and in some states.

Earlier, the BMC had decided to keep all schools andcolleges in the city shut till January 15.

Earlier this week, the civic body permitted all thestate, national and international boards to conduct theirscheduled examinations physically as per the timetable.