By Arunkumar Rao
Bengaluru, Nov 24: The Karnataka Government has decided to play it safe in maintaining health safety during the present COVID-19 scenario by not reopening schools and pre-university colleges in December, according to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. However, classes through public broadcaster “Samveda” and other online systems will continue.
These educational institutions have remained closed since March this year in the wake of the national lockdown first imposed to combat COVID-19.
The decision against reopening the educational institutions was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the chief minister along with Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar, Health, Rural Development, Transport departments, BBMP and experts yesterday.
The meeting noted that while available data highlighted a declining trend in COVID-19 infections, the cold weather in forthcoming December and January months in the State was conducive to the occurence and spread of respiratory infections including COVID-19.
As many as 14 medical experts from the Technical Advisory Committee for COVID-19 have recommended against reopening schools and PU colleges in December, the Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar confirmed virtually to the gathering comprising the Chief Minister.
S R Umashankar, Principal Secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education Department, disclosed that Karnataka has around 9,59,566 ‘Class 10’ students including state, CBSE and ICSE board, and 5,70,176 students for second PUC (class 12) exams under the state board.
