Schools and other educational institutions were closed in March last year following the outbreak of the Corona-19 pandemic and later online classes were introduced for students.
Most schools in Pune city and adjoining Maharashtra’s Pimpri Chinchwad city reopened for Class 1 to Class 7 Standard on Thursday, staff saying students were happy and excited to be back for physical sessions after a long day.
Earlier, schools for primary and middle-class students in Maharashtra were scheduled to reopen in the first week of December, but the decision was postponed due to the emergence of the Omicron version of the coronavirus.
In Pune, an order to reopen schools was issued by Municipal Commissioner V. Kumar on Thursday. H. Gaikwad, president of the Pune District Headmasters’ Association, told the media. Most of the schools in the district have reopened yesterday. A large number of students were looking happy and energetic on the first day.
Dnyanganga English Medium School in Sinha Road area was decorated with balloons and students were welcomed with flowers and chocolates. On the first day the response was very good as more than 50-51% of the total students attended the school. There was joy and energy on his face, – said school principal R Dutta.
Before opening the gates for the students, the schools made necessary arrangements to ensure compliance with the Corona-19 protocol. The students were warmly welcomed by the staff of various schools in the morning.
The Hindustan Antibiotics School recorded nearly 90 per cent attendance on the first day of physical classes. We had already sanitized the entire campus and classrooms. School principal S. Jadhav said that the students were welcomed with flowers and they were showered with flowers.
He said that all the students looked happy and following the rules of physical distance, morning assembly was organized in the school grounds.
The district authorities have asked schools to follow all CORONA-19 protocols, while RT-PCR tests have been made mandatory for teachers and non-teaching staff who are yet to be fully vaccinated. One student per bench is being allowed to maintain physical distancing, he said, adding that online classes are also going on for those who do not attend school. The Pune Municipal Corporation has asked the school management to complete the vaccination of its employees.
