COVID-19: Many Mumbai schools advance break, suspend classes

MUMBAI: A day after two COVID-19 cases were reported in the city, several schools decided to give students an early break. Schools will use online resources to continue education and in the meantime sanitize their premises.
A school in the vicinity of the building where the two cases were reported on Wednesday, for instance, shut operations for the afternoon session on Thursday, and will also remain shut on Friday as well to sanitize the premises."We are sanitizing the school as a precautionary measure. We have SSC boards running full-fledged and the staff is also fully involved in preparing for the next academic year," said the school's principal.
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Several schools have decided to suspend classes. The Cathedral and John Connon School, Fort, will now reopen on March 31 with an exception of students who are appearing for exams. In an email to parents, principal Meera Isaac said, "Teachers will conduct their lessons on a regular basis, sharing presentations, videos and other resources on online platforms such as Google Classrooms, Hangouts and Zoom, etc, based on which students will be assessed on their return to the school. In addition, they will also be given assignments that they will be expected to complete as per prescribed deadlines."
Similarly, Utpal Shanghvi Global School, Juhu, which has given a short break to students, will send work home through a portal. "Students are expected to stay home, await lots of work coming their way through Skolaro (our online school information management software), so that they can carry on working from home and prepare for the forthcoming exams," said principal Rakhi Mukherjee.
Several international schools such as Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DIAS) at BKC and Oberoi International schools have advanced their spring break. "The school's spring break was scheduled to begin on March 14 and as a precautionary measure it has been decided to prepone this break from March 13, that is, by a day. The school is scheduled to reopen on March 26 post the spring break. The school has taken several preventive measures and safeguards, including cancellation of all trips and travel by students and staff. The school has also requested the entire school community to avoid non-essential travel," said a DIAS spokesperson.
Among other schools that have called off sessions are Witty International School, Malad, Vasant Vihar High School, Thane, and Rustomjee Cambridge schools in the western suburbs. "Given this pandemic, and in the interest of the health and safety of all students, the school is taking an immediate call to declare an early summer break for Grades I to IX immediately, with final exams being cancelled for Grades I to VIII and grade promotion decision will be based on the average score of the previous exams conducted during the academic year," said a note to parents by Rustomjee schools.
A parent said, "We are not sending our son to school as we don't know the travel history of all students and their parents." India Wide Parents Association has asked the chief minister to shut schools and colleges.