Schools and colleges in Pune to reopen from February 1. Details here

For students of classes 1 to 8 in Pune, the school timings will be half that of the regular timings. However, for classes 9 to 10, the schools will run as per the regular schedule.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday that schools and colleges in the Pune district will reopen from February 1, and provided further details on the gradual resumption of educational institutions amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Pune: While allowing the schools to resume physical classes, the Maharashtra government has asked them to strictly adhere to Covid-19 protocols and guidelines.  (File Photo / AFP)

For students of classes 1 to 8 in Pune, the school timings will be half that of the regular timings. This is for the time being, the minister clarified, adding that a further decision for standards I to VIII will be taken in the next meeting depending on the pandemic situation at the time.

However, for classes 9 to 10, the schools will run as per the regular schedule, the minister said. Consent from parents will be required to attend the school.

Moreover, colleges in the district will also function as per regular timings, he added.

He said 3,374 cases were reported in the Pune city, 2,261 in Pimpri Chinchwad, and 1,205 in rural and 98 cantonment limits.

As of Friday, the district had 2,520 active cases in institutional isolation and 73,471 in home quarantine, the official informed.

Last Saturday, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Pawar said that no decision had not yet been taken regarding the resumption of offline classes in the district since Covid-19 cases were on the rise back then.

After attending a meeting to review the Covid-19 situation in the district, Pawar said swimming pools and grounds will be open to sportspersons and people who have taken both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Apart from this, tourist places such as Lonavala and Singhagad will be thrown open to a limited number of visitors in order to sustain small businesses operating at these locations, said Pawar, who is also the guardian minister of the district.

The police have been directed to keep a watch on the number of people gathering at tourist places and in case of crowding, further restrictions will be imposed, he said.