Mumbai, Pune school reopening deferred; Now classes will resume on December 15: Report

NEW DELHI: Mumbai school reopening date has been postponed in wake of new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. Now, schools for Classes 1 to 7 in Mumbai will reopen on December 15, instead of December 1, the ANI reported. According to some reports, schools in Pune will also remain closed and will resume on December 15.

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“Mumbai | Schools for classes 1-7 will now reopen from December 15, instead of December 1, in view of the emergence of #Omicron variant of COVID19 in the world: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation,” ANI said in a tweet.

Mumbai | Schools for classes 1-7 will now reopen from December 15, instead of December 1, in view of the emergence of #Omicron variant of COVID19 in the world: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

— ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2021

Recently, the Maharashtra government issued fresh guidelines ahead of reopening of schools in the state on December 1, 2021.

“The government is sensitive to the possibility of a third wave and no laxity in implementation of SOPs will be permitted. Our students are our future. Let us all come together to ensure their health, wellbeing and continued education,” Maharashtra education minister Varsha Gaikwad tweeted.

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On November 25, the Maharashtra Cabinet decided to allow reopening of schools for Classes 1 to 4 in rural areas and 1 to 7 in urban areas in the state from December 1.

Observing COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, vaccination of teachers and school staff are among the protocols that have to be followed in schools, according to the Maharashtra health department's guidelines ahead of the reopening of schools.

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The state resumed physical classes for Classes 5 to 12 on October 4 after being closed for over 18 months due to the pandemic situation. However, the education minister said that a decision on reopening of schools for Classes 1 to 5 will be taken after a cabinet meeting.

On October 20, state colleges and universities also resumed offline classes which had been stopped for over one-and-a-half years due to the coronavirus pandemic.