Pune schools set to reopen for higher classes from tomorrow

As January 4, the date set by local authorities for reopening of schools in Pune, approaches, many schools across the city are grappling with the challenges of reopening amid a pandemic.

While sanitisation measures have been stepped up and physical distancing norms are being worked out, school authorities are worried about the distribution of workforce and online-offline distribution of students because only some parents have agreed to send pupils to school.

Anvit Pathak, director of Millenium School, said only the parents of 300 students from Classes IX to XII, out of a total strength of more than 500, have filled out the online consent forms.

“I think it’s going to be a dynamic situation with the numbers fluctuating week by week. So, we have



decided to start classes from IX to XII for three hours a day on alternate days. We will begin with class XII, then X, then class X1 and then IX, sequentially, with a little gap in-between for students and staff to adjust processes. There will be a sizeable number of students who will opt for online classes and we have to account for that as well. Since our staff is limited for online and offline classes, we have to work out the odds,” he said.

However, many schools said they won’t be reopening at all.

“A majority of parents have not given consent and that’s why as of now, school is not reopening. Currently, school vacations are ongoing, maybe after that if consent comes in, school may reopen,” said Markus Deshmukh, a spokesperson of Bishops School.