Parents relieved as schools to remain shut for another week in Pune
Pune district guardian minister, Ajit Pawar during Covid review meeting on Saturday decided to keep schools closed in Pune district.
PUNE Even as schools in Maharashtra will be allowed to conduct physical classes starting Monday, the schools in Pune will continue to conduct classes online for at least another week, a decision most parents have welcomed. With Covid cases rising and the daily case load touching a new high, many parents said they are relieved.
“The Covid cases are very high in Pune and it’s increasing every day,” said Anagha Jangale, a mother of an 8-year-old and 14-year-old. Although children between the age of 15 and 18 are being vaccinated in schools, children under 15-years are still unvaccinated and that is worrying the parents. “None of my two children are vaccinated, so, I do not intend to send them to school even if the schools had opened this week,” said Jangale.
Some parents who had previously advocated the reopening of schools are now more inclined to keep the schools closed in Pune. Krutika Hosur, who has a son studying at Bal Shikshan Mandir, Kothrud, said, “The authorities have taken the right decision. The online classes are going fine. Keeping the schools closed for one more week wouldn’t do much harm.”
Pune district guardian minister, Ajit Pawar during Covid review meeting on Saturday decided to keep schools closed in Pune district.
Anuradha Kulkarni, a a geography teacher at MES Boys High School, and a mother of a 13-year-old said,“The authorities have decided in favour of the parents and also the teachers. Asking the children to come to school when Pune is recording the highest Covid cases in the state, would be putting them in danger.”
Another parent, however, was of the opinion that although Covid cases are high in Pune, one must take into consideration the severity of the cases as well. “High school and junior college students who are vaccinated should be called back for physical classes in schools because Omicron cases are not very severe,” said Ketki Kashikar, mother of a student studying in Class 8. Younger students, however, should continue online classes, she added.