Summary:
Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) Maharashtra minister Varsha Gaikwad on Thursday said that schools for Classes 1 to 9 in the state can be reopened for offline classroom sessions from January 24.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has approved a proposal to this effect sent to him by the school education department, she told reporters.
"Written instructions on this will be issued either today or tomorrow," the school education minister added.
Schools in Maharashtra were closed in the first week of January due to a spike in the coronavirus cases and in the wake of the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
However, a number of parents, activists in the field as well as teachers had strongly opposed the move to shut the schools, saying it would adversely affect the students.
In Mumbai, the local civic body had announced the closure of schools for Classes 1 to 9 till January 31.