Mumbai, May 24: Days after issuing revised guidelines for the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, Maharashtra government is planning to reopen schools in state from June 15 onwards. However, the state education department has indicated that the reopening of schools will be gradual and based on the placement of schools.

State’s School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad has indicated that the first schools that would be opened will be from non-red areas. Though Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had considerably eased lockdown restrictions from May 22 in state, but Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur and 15 other cities are being put in the red zone. Maharashtra: 44% of Total Coronavirus Cases in State are Asymptomatic, Reveals Data.

Stating the plans to reopen schools, Gaikwad said, as quoted by Indian Express, "Maintaining social distancing is the key. The option of pairing students with odd roll numbers and calling them in the first shift and the ones with even roll numbers in the second shift is being considered. Another option is to call a batch of class students every alternate day." She even indicated that classes are likely to be for short hours and in shifts. Also, banning morning assemblies and sporting activities are being considered.

For schools in red zones, the state education minister said that 'things needed to improve further before they plan reopening of schools'. Gaikwad even pointed that a new standard operating procedures (SOPs) for schools are being formulated to lower the risk of infection for students and teachers.

Earlier on Saturday, Medical Education & Drugs Department released a complied report stating that higher percentage of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in state. MEDD data pointed that out of the 36,466 cases, 16,037 (44%) came asymptomatic, while 6148 (17%) were symptomatic. Also, Uddhav Thackeray government said that those below 40 years account for more than 50 percent coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Maharashtra.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2020 08:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).