Reopening of schools ‘online’, clarifies edu min Gaikwad

Nagpur: Clarifying on CM Uddhav Thackeray’s statement about schools being reopened on June 15, education minister Varsha Gaikwad said it pertained only to ‘online’ mode. “Whether it is June 15 or June 26 (for Vidarbha), our plan is to first start schools via online mode,” said Gaikwad.
She added that while no date for physical reopening has been set, extensive discussions with stakeholders are going on to prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs). “We are only taking about online opening for now,” Gaikwad said.
“Obviously sometime in the future we have to physically reopen schools and that is why we are preparing aggressively for that moment as it’s not something you can plan in a single day,” added Gaikwad.
Feedback is being taken from stakeholders on what safety measures must be put in place. “These suggestions will help us formulate a policy and come out with SOPs on physical reopening. We have to standardize the sanitization process for premises, how health check up of teachers and students is to be done etc,” said Gaikwad.
She added that physical reopening can’t be a statewide diktat. “Areas where Covid-19 cases have not been reported for a stipulated period of time, where movement of teachers won’t be restricted etc can be candidates for school reopening,” said Gaikwad.
On Monday, the minister spoke to state chief secretary (CS) Ajoy Mehta and kicked into motion another part of the physical reopening plan. “If we have to open schools say after month and a half, then in which specific places should it be done? I asked the CS to start discussions with collectors. Then we (education department) will give an SOP which can be implemented,” said Gaikwad.
She asserted that the physical closure of schools should not mean a complete halt of the learning process. Last week, Gaikwad wrote to the central government seeking 12 hours of air time on Doordarshan and two hours on the All India Radio (AIR) to broadcast educational content in Maharashtra.
“Our focus for now is online teaching. Through TV/radio we can cover up to 85% of the area. We are constantly thinking of ways to increase the reach. The continuity of education is to be maintained at all costs because if that link is broken, children in marginalized areas will drop out of the radar,” said Gaikwad.
As the education department works on a plan for the physical reopening of schools, Gaikwad is proceeding in a phased manner for the online version.
“Firstly, textbooks need to reach the children. Parents can be called to collect them by maintaining proper distance or we can send them to their homes. Then online, TV/radio teaching can be started by increasing the coverage area. Even if parents take the phone to work, TV remains the medium of instruction,” said Gaikwad.
In its latest notification, the ministry of home affairs had mentioned that the discussion on the reopening of schools will be held in July.
Gaikwad added that even if the green signal is given, Maharashtra will remain cautious. “We will look at the situation at that point of time and take a decision accordingly. I don’t want schools to close down after reopening,” said Gaikwad.