Maharashtra state board schools for Classes 1 to 9 and 11 to function till April 30

PUNE: Maharashtra education department has stated that schools for Classes 1 to nine and 11 of the state board will function 'full day' till April 30 to compensate for the academic loss caused to students due to COVID-19, a decision that will affect the summer vacation schedule of students.

Generally, annual exams of Classes 1 to 9 get over by April 15 and vacation starts thereafter. The GR issued by IM Kazi, joint secretary, Maharashtra government, has directed schools to function full day on Saturdays instead of half-day and voluntarily on Sundays. It also stated that exams of Classes 1 to 9 and 11 should be taken in the third week of April and results declared by May.

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Harishchandra Gaikwad, president of the Pune District Principals' Association, said the government should have issued this GR by February-end. Schools have already completed preparations for conducting exams and released a timetable, he said, adding that many parents have planned their summer vacations accordingly.

"In this GR, the education department has asked schools to declare results by May but no date has been given. Had there been a deadline, it would have been easy for schools to plan," Gaikwad said. In the normal course, exams for schools under the Maharashtra state board get over by April 15 and thereafter vacations begin.

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"Now with this new GR, students will have to come to schools till the end of April," he added. Terming the GR 'ambiguous', Gaikwad said that instead of issuing a GR, the state education department should have advanced school opening dates to June 7 or 8 instead of June 15 for the new academic session.