Will consider reopening schools for classes 1-4: Maharashtra Government
What's the story
The Maharashtra Government will consider reopening schools for students of classes 1st to 4th if schools can smoothly run classes 5th to 8th that are set to restart from January 27, state School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said on Tuesday.
Gaikwad further informed, "RT-PCR tests of most of the teachers were conducted ahead of reopening of schools for classes 5th to 8th."
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'Schools have been sanitized for reopening'
"Schools have been sanitized (for reopening). We have appealed to parents to send their wards to schools wearing masks. Once we succeed in it (smoothly running the classes from January 27), we will consider restarting classes up to 4th standard," the minister said.
Classes
Around 22 lakh students attending classes since November 23
Schools for classes 9th to 12th had already reopened on November 23, 2020, nine months after they had to shut due to COVID-19-necessitated lockdown.
"Some 22 lakh students have started attending these classes in 22,204 schools in the state. Now we are reopening schools for students of classes 5th to 8th from January 27, where 78.47 lakh students are enrolled," an official said.
Subjects
Science, mathematics and English will be focus subjects
Meanwhile, talking about standards 5th to 8th, a state education department official informed, "Classes will primarily focus on subjects like science, mathematics and English language, which means students will have to carry fewer books."
The education department has asked parents to give a bottle of drinking water to their wards who will start attending schools.