Schools from classes 8 to 12 in Mumbai to reopen from October 4

Schools in Mumbai for classes 8 to 12 will reopen from October 4 (Monday), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a circular on Wednesday

Schools in Mumbai for classes 8 to 12 will reopen from October 4 (Monday), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a circular on Wednesday. The decision applies to public and private schools of all mediums. State education minister Varsha Gaikwad had earlier announced that schools for classes 8 to 12 would resume from October 4. The circular was issued by BMC’s education officer Raju Tadwi on Wednesday evening.

The decision applies to classes of public and private schools of all mediums in Mumbai. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

In its circular, BMC instructed all schools to strictly follow Covid-19-related hygiene before restarting classes, and after classroom teaching has recommenced. All municipal schools will be required to sanitise premises with sodium hypochlorite, by coordinating with the respective assistant commissioners at the administrative wards. All private schools will have to arrange for sanitisation of their premises. The BMC has listed separate instructions to all schools regarding safety measures they need to undertake before and after teaching commences on their premises.

Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said on Wednesday: “We are reopening schools for classes 8 to 12 in Mumbai with effect from October 4, and for the rest of the classes, we will take a decision in November. All Covid-19 SOPs issued by the government will be implemented.” If there are vaccination centres or quarantine centres in any schools operating classes from 8 to 12, they should be moved to the nearest feasible location, and made operational with the help of respective ward officers, the circular stated.

Teachers teaching classes 8 to 12, who have been assigned duties at vaccination centres, at railway stations to check vaccination status of passengers, or have been assigned election duties, will be relieved of their duties so that they can return to full-time teaching. Municipal schools will have to tie up with their nearest health posts, which are either municipal dispensaries, or private clinics, after students start attending classes regularly. Private schools have also been instructed to tie up with nearest municipal or private dispensaries for emergencies.