While Mumbai schools are concerned about safety, officials have mulled over reopening schools on December 15. It has already been decided that schools in the Mumbai division will start from December 15.
As for now, no changes have been made in the decision. Recently, Omicron patients are found in Dombivali, Pune, Pimpri- Chinchwad. If the situation changes in the future, the decision will be taken giving priority to the health and safety of the students, said Raju Tadvi, Education officer MCGM.
Private Schools in Mumbai are planning to reopen schools from January 2022. The state government has circulated SOPs for schools to ensure the safety of the students on the school premises.
Mrs Sunita George, Principal of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim said, "We are planning it out and working on the process to reopen the school for grades 1-7 from January, as we have our Christmas vacations from December 16."
"At Orchids', we have been extremely cautious about hygiene & safety guidelines provided by the authorities and we have been following them diligently in all 48+ branches across India. In Orchids, we take such calls centrally for all branches following all the SOPs. The safety of our students is of utmost importance for us. We will watch the situation, take parents' opinion and decide." said Dr Kavita Nagpal, Principal, Orchids International School, Mumbai.
With an increase in the number of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the decision to start schools in Mumbai will be taken at a local level, said School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad.
The Department of Education, Mumbai, had decided on November 30 to reopen schools for grade 1- grade 7 in Mumbai from December 15. The government is monitoring the current situation in Corona.
"The local administration has the power to decide whether to start schools or not. We will decide to start school considering the situation in the future," she said.
