After 10 months, schools reopen offline for Std V to VIII in parts of State
After almost 10 months, schools reopened offline lectures for Standard 5 to 8 from Wednesday in various nearby areas of Mumbai such as Palghar, Vasai and Vashi. Schools said they initiated precautionary measures such as one student per bench with 50 per cent attendance, hand sanitisers, body temperature checks, mandatory wearing of masks and social distancing to prevent Covid19 risks.
Following the direction of the state school education department, schools apart from those in Thane and Mumbai districts reopened offline on Wednesday. Schools reopened in over 30 districts of Maharashtra with standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to Covid-19.
Schools in Palghar called 25 to 30 students per division with one student per bench in a classroom. Madhumita Kaushik, a teacher of a Palghar school said, "We called only 25 students out of the total class strength of 55 students. We are calling students on alternate days to attend offline lectures in order to avoid crowding. The attendance turnout was almost 90 per cent on the first day which indicates that parents and students were waiting for schools to reopen offline."
While, Usman Khan, a principal of a Nerul school said, "We have made it mandatory for all students, teaching and non-teaching staff to wear masks inside school premises. Body temperature checks of all those entering the school are being done regularly while, hand sanitisers are placed outside every classroom, staffroom, canteen and washroom."