Schools in Mumbai will reopen on Monday; parents are relieved but doubtful and teachers say they are set

The dispute over whether or not to reopen schools has finally come to an end. Schools will start on January 24, and while there is relief among all stakeholders (parents, principals, teachers, and kids), it is tempered by a smidgeon of cynicism. Swati Popat Vats, the Principal of Podar Jumbo Kids School, said her school fulfilled all of the standards and had been educating teachers and support personnel for months. "For the teachers and support workers to be confident in understanding and to feel comfortable with the safety criteria we conducted safety drills."

 

Vats further stated that both parents and the school work together to ensure the safety of their children. "We gave parents an online introduction to assist them to understand that providing a secure environment for their children is a team effort." It's something we'll have to work on jointly,” she said. Ms. Vats also runs the 'Early Childhood Association,' a private organisation. Parents have a say because they help to keep their children safe. Mumbai mothers tell how they plan to keep their children safe. They are, nevertheless, concerned about their child's social and behavioural issues.

 

"They are tired of online classes," said Gayatri Shah, a member of the Mumbai 21 Parents Association, which has been actively involved in the conversation to reopen physical schools. The safety precautions have also been communicated to teachers in Maharashtra's Pre-Schools. They have their ways for dealing with the kids, particularly during lunch and bathroom breaks. “Before Covid 19, they’d share their tiffin boxes once they'd opened them. We're going to offer each youngster a little table because this is a unique situation due to the pandemic." Mubina Sevwala, a teacher at Ikigai Global Preschool in Dadar, explained.

 

 

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