Mumbai: The Maharashtra education department will permit reopening of schools for classes 5 to 8 only after getting the consent of the state health department, School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad informed.

The state government in November allowed district collectors and local authorities to decide on resumption of schools, which have been closed down from March amid the spread of COVID-19 induced lockdown.

Varsha Gaikwad while talking to mediapersons on Wednesday said, "The school education department will discuss the issue of resumption schools with the public health department. Once we get the nod, we will resume classes.”

Major cities in Maharashtra such as Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Nashik will be notified about reopening of schools only after discussion with the state public health ministry, Gaikwad told.

She also said that the education department is consulting parents and local officials on the same. Local officials have also conducted a large number of COVID tests of school teachers and non-teaching staff before reopening schools.

At least three lakh students from classes 9 to 12 have been attending schools in as over as 25 districts of the state since November. The figure has increased to five lakh as per a review taken last week.