NMMC to decide on Ganpati holidays for schools soon

As most schools in the city have declared a fiveday holiday for their students for Ganeshtosav celebrations, the education department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has said that it too will take a decision on the same soon.

Last year, NMMC had announced a 5 day holiday for civic and private schools in the city during Ganeshotsav till Gauri visarjan. It has also asked that examinations to be conducted during this period be postponed.

City president of Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS), the student wing of MNS, Savinay Mhatre, has written to municipal commissioner and education department asking for declaration of holidays during the period.

A delegation of MNVS on Monday met NMMC education officials and demanded that the holidays be declared at the earliest.

Mhatre said, “Residents from all over the state reside in the city due to work. Thousands of residents from Konkan and western Maharashtra travel to their villages for Ganeshotsav. However, several private schools, particularly English schools do not give holidays for the festival. Several even hold examinations during this time.”

He said, “Despite the instructions by state government on the holidays in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, some schools have not been complying with it. Hence for the past couple of years we have been following up on the issue in advance.

An NMMC source, “The civic body could soon declare a fiveday holiday for all aided and unaided schools from the first day of Ganeshotsav till Gauri immersion day.”

Some schools have already declared the holidays. An official from Fr Agnel school, Vashi, “We have declared holiday for our children from Monday to Saturday.”