Pune: The education department's strategy to reopen schools for class 9 to 12 in green zones has hit a roadblock as local administration officers - based on ground situation inputs - have decided to delay school re-opening by at least a month. It is clear that students, parents and teachers have to opt for online education as of now.
The academic year has already begun from June 15, but there is still a lack of clarity and lack of coordination between the education department and local administration officials about reopening schools.
As per the education departments strategy, the schools were supposed to start for class 9 to 12 students from July 1, and for class 6 to 8 from August. Schools for class 3 to 5 students are also supposed to start from September month. However, since the first phase has gotten delayed by at least a month, it is to be seen what schedule schools will follow for the rest of the students.
Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad has called for a meeting of education officers of all districts to clear this confusion. The education department has now hinted that the school management committee and local administration will decide about the reopening of schools in their areas.
The collectors and local administration officials in most of the districts including Ahmednagar, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nanded, Sangli, Kolhapur, Washim, Nagpur, Yavatmal have decided to take a call on reopening schools based on the ground situation by July end. As not a single class could commence in eight districts of Marathwada region on July 1.
In some districts, the officials have declared that schools won't start till July 31. The local administration headed by the commissioner in Amravati has issued a circular stating that schools will reopen only after August 15. As a result, in many districts, some teachers reported on time to the school office on July 1 as per the education department's directives, but there were no students in the class.
