MUMBAI: With the Omicron variant lurking on the horizon, the BMC on Tuesday announced that schools for classes 1 to 7 will reopen from December 15 and not from December 1. The decision came a day after Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray revealed that nearly 1,000 travellers from South Africa have landed in the city and that the BMC is frantically trying to trace them and inquire about their health status. BMC has also made provision for institutional quarantine.
Nonetheless, schools for Classes 1 to 4 will reopen in rural areas and for Classes 1 to 7 in urban areas of the state from December 1.
However, Pune Mayor Mulridhar Mohol said schools in the city will not reopen from December 1 in the wake of the fresh concerns about the new variant. He added that the date will be announced after due discussions with all stakeholders. The Nashik Municipal Corporation has deferred reopening of schools for standard 1 to 7 till December 10.
''In view of the emergence of the new variant many countries worldwide have enforced stringent measures. Considering the international connectivity and Mumbai's population, the State health department and BMC are taking appropriate measures and precautions. Experts all over the world are proceeding with caution until the exact nature of the new variant unravels in the next few days. To ensure safe return of students to schools, the BMC has decided to defer the decision of reopening of schools for standards 1 to 7 by 14 days. Schools will reopen from December 15,’’ said a statement.
According to BMC education officer Raju Tadvi, there are 2.20 lakh students studying in classes 1 to 7 in the civic body-run schools. He said adequate precautions have to be taken and the corporation will have to organise masks and sanitise all schools. In addition, it will need a consent letter from parents which is mandatory. Therefore, the decision to defer the reopening.
He added that students can attend online classes if the parents do not want to send them for a few days.
