Maharashtra govt to reopen schools from 17 Aug

The Maharashtra education department has decided to start classes from 1st to 7th standard from August 17 in the districts where the number of covid cases are low and the restrictions have been relaxed.

School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad informed this to Lokmat.

8th to 10th standard schools have already started from 15th July. Out of 36,835 schools in class 8 to 10, 12,725 schools have been started.
Out of 86,33,805 students, 8,98,894 students are coming to school.Of the total schools, 34.55 per cent have started, but only 10.41 per cent students have opted for off line classes. Latur, Amravati and Nagpur have the highest number of students.

Restrictions have been relaxed in 25 districts. Keeping this in mind, the school education department has started preparations to start the school from August 17.

‘SOP’ to schools next week

What should be the arrangement of seating of students in classes I to VII, what care should they take?

How to plan lunch boxes, recess, sports classes? A SOP is being prepared and will be sent to all schools next week, Gaikwad said.

Fees will be discussed in the next cabinet meeting

Discussions are underway to reduce school fees. Regarding school fee reduction, she said it would be decided at the next cabinet meeting.

60% admission of RTE completed in the state

- This year, schools and colleges are currently closed due to the outbreak of corona. In such scenario, the response to 25 per cent free admissions under RTE has also slowed down.

- Many students have been selected for the first round but have not yet been admitted.

- Despite repeated extensions by the Directorate of Education, about 60 per cent of the total vacancies in the state have been secured by the last deadline of the first round.

- 96,684 seats are available in 9,432 schools under RTE this year. In the draw announced in March, 82 thousand 129 students were admitted.

- But there was less response from parents and not enough admissions, officials said.