According to senior officials, the reopening of schools in the current circumstances is out of the question, as there are no signs that the pandemic is abating.
As coronavirus cases continue to rise in Maharashtra, School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad has said schools will not reopen in the state before Diwali.
Maharashtra has so far reported 15,17,434 COVID-19 cases and 40,040 deaths due to the disease.
The Center, on March 16, announced the closure of all educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Now it has allowed the gradual reopening of schools starting October 15.
Ms Gaikwad, who recently recovered from COVID-19, said schools have been running virtual classes and teachers have been taking special classes for students in some areas.
However, the challenge is finding a way to finish the academic year and assess students, he said.
“While we are exploring various options, it is clear that schools will not open before Diwali,” Ms Gaikwad said.
According to senior officials from the State Department of Education, the reopening of schools in the current circumstances is out of the question, as there are no signs that the pandemic is abating.
The state’s Higher and Technical Education Minister, Uday Samant, also said his department does not intend to reopen universities until the COVID-19 situation is under control.
“The situation is bleak for students who want to pursue higher studies abroad, as their future depends on our decision,” he added.
Even as the state government and bureaucracy ponder solutions, children and parents are worried as they seem to be stuck in a quagmire.
“I took a student loan and my parents are paying it off. If I don’t get good test scores, how will I get a good job? said Raviraj Humbe, an engineering student from Pune.
There must be some technical solution for testing and testing, he said.
Meanwhile, education expert Kishore Darak suggested that the state government can bundle two or three years of education together so that parents’ concerns about academic loss can be addressed.
While the safety of students is imperative, it is high time the state introduced a bipartisan approach to education, he said.
“The government must find a solution in which local officials are authorized to make context-specific decisions, such as the total or partial reopening of schools or the scheduling of classes on alternate days, among others,” he said.
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