Maharashtra schools reopen for physical classes after 18 months | In Pics

Maharashtra schools reopened on Monday (October 4) for classes 5 to 12. 

Teachers welcomed students with flowers on the first day of Maharashtra school reopening.

Varsha Gaikwad on Monday tweeted, "Following SOPs for safe resumption of schools is essential. Personally checked the arrangements made at this BMC school in Colaba for #BackToSchool and distributed masks. Our department is conducting similar visits across the state."

The state education minister visits the DS School Sion on the first day to experience back-to-school moments along with students. In her tweet, she wrote, "Visited DS School Sion this morning to experience #BackToSchool along with these wonderful students. The school education department is continuously monitoring the safe resumption of physical classes across the state. #शाळेचापहिलादिवस"

The Social Justice and Special Assistance Minister, Dhananjay Munde also visited schools on the first day of reopening. 

The state government issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for teachers and students to follow on the school premises. 

Permission to conduct physical classes in rural areas was granted earlier in July by the state government due to negligible Covid-19 prevalence. 

Gaikwad informed last month that a survey conducted by the school education department found that more than 70 per cent of parents favored reopening of schools.