Parents and teachers are outraged after Maharashtra Minister Varsha Gaikwad stated that if Omicron spreads out, schools may have to halt again

Varsha Gaikwad, the Maharashtra School Education Minister, struck a terrible image on Wednesday when she had to retract her comment that schools may have to close again if the Omicron strain spreads throughout the state. Gaikwad stated that if the cases begin to escalate, a decision to close the schools may have to be made again, ahead of the start of the state legislature's winter session on Wednesday morning. The discovery of 18 diseased students at a school in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, sparked speculation about the shutdown of schools for students in grades 1 to 7, which had only recently reopened. The afflicted students have been segregated from the rest of the class.

In the evening, Gaikwad had to backtrack and clarify that "there is no desire to close the schools in the state." "We will continue to teach both online and offline." She also stated that if there is a spike, the local government has the authority to decide whether or not to close schools, based on the situation. The announcement by Gaikwad of school closures sparked outrage among parents. "Only parents should have the authority to decide whether or not their children should attend school. If children are subjected to an online medium of instruction, they will succumb. It's distressing that if there's even a smidgeon of concern about the increase of Covid cases, the first reaction is to close the schools. If the decision to open schools is reversed, we will be forced to take to the streets," claimed the Mumbai Parents Association.

Another mom, Rohini Daftary, stated that schools are the first to open and the last to close all across the world.  On the other hand, the harm to children's physical and mental health caused by keeping them out of school is immense "she continued. While some parents reacted angrily to the decision to close the schools, Jyoti Vakharia, Principal of MPS ICSE, Woollen Mills, Mahim, said, "We would have to obey whatever government rules that are issued. Our last working day of the year is tomorrow, and we will resume after the Christmas break. In the meanwhile, we'll wait for any official circulars or instructions."

Image Courtesy: @VarshaEGaikwad