Schools reopen: 64 teachers test positive in Nashik, Aurangabad

Schools for students studying in Classes 9 to 12 reopened in multiple districts of Maharashtra on Monday. With this development, as many as 64 teachers from districts of Nashik (62) and Aurangabad (2) were tested positive for the coronavirus before resuming duties.

Talking about Nashik, 846 schools resumed functioning from the total 1,324 schools in rural and city limits. Over one lakh students attended schools which were closed since March amid the spread of COVID-19. 7,063 headmasters, teachers and 2,500 non-teaching staff members underwent RT-PCR test before resumption of schools.

Precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infection such as as sanitisation of schools, thermal scanning, use of masks and maintaining social distance is mandatory for teachers, non-teaching staff as well as students.

On the other side, Aurangabad district also reopened its schools on Monday. Two teachers were tested positive for coronavirus, a civic official said. While allowing reopening of schools for Classes 9 and 10, which were closed since March last year following the outbreak of contagion, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation has made COVID test mandatory for teachers. Despite of strict guidelines, two teachers were tested positive for COVID-19.

Though many districts have decided to resume schools, many parents are seen anxious to send their kids to the schools. Many parents still think that till the time vaccine for the infection isn't available, there is a worry for them to ask their children to attend schools.