97% parents in Mumbai are against physical reopening of schools anytime soon

July 20, 2020, New Delhi: After the schools in Maharashtra stayed closed for 3 months due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state Government recently released standard operating procedures for restarting classes. Schools in some districts of Maharashtra became operational for physical classes but parents in Mumbai do not seem to agree with the Government’s decision. In Mumbai, most schools started online classes from July 13th and finished their first week of classes.

LocalCircles conducted a survey in Mumbai to get pulse of the parents on reopening of schools and what according to them, would be the right time for the schools to start physical classes. The survey received over 10,500 responses from parents in different parts of Mumbai.

The first question asked residents of Mumbai if online classes for their children have started in Mumbai. In response, 70% said it has started successfully while 23% said it has started but there were some initial hiccups. 7% said their child’s online classes will start soon.

70% Mumbai parents say when online classes for their children’s school have started successfully

70% Mumbai parents say when online classes for their children’s school have started successfully

Parents were also asked given the current COVID-19 situation, when should the in-person classes in schools start in Mumbai. 26% said schools should start only after a COVID-19 vaccine is out while 33% said schools should start only after cases in Mumbai & its 20 km radius are reported zero. 15% said schools should reopen only after no cases are reported in Maharashtra for 21 days and 18% said kids should go back to school only after active cases in Mumbai are zero. 3% said only after there are no cases in the country for 21 days, while only 3% said schools should start regardless from August 1, 2020.

97% Mumbai parents against physical reopening of schools anytime soon; Many say not an option till cases in Mumbai and vicinity are zero for 21 days

This means that 97% Mumbai parents are against physical reopening of schools anytime soon and many say that it is not an option till cases in Mumbai and vicinity are zero for 21 days. The order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the schools to remain closed until July 31, 2020, across the country. But the Maharashtra Government recently said that schools in those areas can restart physical classes where no Coronavirus cases have been reported for more than a month.

Given the reasonable chances of schools having to conduct online classes for 6 months or more during the school year 20-21, Mumbai residents were asked about how should the fee structure be revised for the period online classes are conducted. 29% respondents said only tuition fee should be charged, while 41% said only tuition fee & IT fee should be charged. 18% said only 75% of the tuition fee & IT fee should be charged, while only 12% said the fee structure should remain unchanged and full school fee should be charged.

88% Mumbai parents want school fee structure revised; Many want to be billed tuition and IT fee with some discount

This shows that 88% Mumbai parents want the school fee structure to be revised and many want to be billed only for tuition and IT fee with some discount.

Though the cases of COVID-19 in Mumbai have fallen a bit from the peak in mid June, the number of daily cases are consistently above 1000 and most parents are concerned that reopening schools will not only increase risk for children but also put others at home at risk, in many cases the grandparents. The economic conditions coupled with job losses have also led parents to spend each rupee wisely and paying full fees when they are not utilising most of the school’s facilities, is becoming an issue for them. LocalCircles will submit the findings of this survey with senior officials in the Maharashtra Government so that the pulse of Mumbai citizens could be considered while deciding the next course of action.

Survey Demographics

The survey received 10,500+ responses from across Mumbai. 61% respondents were men and 39% were women. The survey was conducted via the LocalCircles platform and all participants are validated citizens who were required to register with LocalCircles to participate in this survey.