Mumbai Schools urged to Make Offline Classes Mandatory

Source: Times of India

As attendance in educational institutions continues to be voluntary, schools are worried about the poor response from students to physical classes as they reopen post-Diwali vacation on Monday.

A few schools that reopened last week reported fewer students than when they started physical classes on October 4.

As of now, only class 8-12 students are allowed offline schooling in the city, provided there is parental consent. The rest have to learn online. In rural Maharashtra, physical schools are permitted from Class 5 to 12, with parental consent.

School heads have urged the state to revisit its Covid-19 protocols and make in-person learning compulsory. Schools have been ringing up parents to know if they have changed their minds and want to send children to schools.

The majority of schools said that if given an option, parents still want to continue with online classes.

While educators are urging the state to reopen all classes, they also want the government to make attendance mandatory.

Class X students are more regular in attending schools, compared to eighth and ninth standards.

A group of parents from the city have written an open letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to reopen physical schools for all classes.
 

They have pointed out that children are going to malls and parties.

The state school and health departments have given the nod to reopen all schools after consultations with the state paediatric task force.

Also read: Mumbai Education Department Extends Diwali Vacation; Schools to Reopen on November 22