Schools open during poll preparations, shut on Wed

Mumbai: All educational institutions, including polling venues, will maintain regular operations on Monday and Tuesday. Schools with teachers assigned for election duty must arrange substitute educators from neighbouring schools to ensure uninterrupted classes.Previous communication from the school education department regarding institutional operations during pre-election days had created uncertainty. School heads worried about academic interruption caused by election preparations. Schools had to provide access from Sunday for CCTV installation and furniture setup, with polling staff required to leave by Thursday, following the elections. Some schools mistakenly interpreted these instructions as student holidays. Heads were also given autonomy to decide about conducting classes based on staff's poll commitments.The state issued revised instructions on Saturday, directing education inspectors to ensure normal school operations on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday, being election day, has been designated as a school holiday. School heads noted such disruptions were uncommon in previous elections, including Lok Sabha polls in May. Electoral staff began preparations at schools. With premises needing handover by Tuesday, several schools are shifting primary classes to the online mode. — Sandhya Nair