Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government has taken “extreme care” to ensure classroom learning for students while protecting them from the COVID pandemic. “Schools will reopen soon. “We have ordered government and private schools to follow certain procedures regarding how students should be brought, consent from parents, seating arrangements, alternate days shift-wise classes, sanitization, among others,” Bommai said.
He told reporters that he will personally be visiting schools in Bengaluru and surrounding areas on Monday when they reopen, along with Education Minister B C Nagesh. “We have taken great care to ensure that students remain protected from COVID-19 while in class. “We are taking steps in this direction,” he said.
Karnataka’s government decided earlier this month to reopen schools from August 23 for students from class 9 to 12 (II PUC) in alternate batches. After being cautious, it subsequently decided not to reopen schools in districts with a COVID-19 positivity rate above 2%. It has been decided not to resume primary school until the last week of August in order to take into account the possible third wave of COVID and how it is likely to spread.
The Chief Minister encouraged parents to vaccinate their children, take care of their health, and give them confidence. Children can attend classes without fear, he said, “Our intention is to gradually reopen schools, since for the last one-and-half years they have not enrolled in school. We want them to step by step begin attending schools,” he added.
