Karnataka primary schools reopen, 25% students attend classes on first day

Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh himself welcomed students at  Government Higher Primary School at Malavagoppa in Shivamogga district as he offered roses, notebooks and chocolates to them.

Minister B C Nagesh welcomed students with gifts on Monday (Express photo)

“The students seem to be happy that they are finally back to their classrooms,” he said after lighting a lamp to symbolically launch offline classes at schools across the state.

Meanwhile, Government Lower Primary School on the other side of the district witnessed a protest by parents and residents of Dubaratatti village in Hosanagar taluk as no teachers were present to welcome 22 students who turned up.

“The Gram Panchayat President and others had made arrangements to distribute sweets to students as they were back to the school. However, to our much disappointment, we waited till 10.45 am to see no teacher arriving at the school,” a parent told The Indian Express.

However, a teacher working in the neighbouring village reached the school after reporting to the school he was originally deployed at, when protests had already erupted.

“By evening we were told that an order has been issued to appoint a full-time teacher here. The teacher who used to work here earlier had retired during the pandemic,” the parent added.

Earlier last month, an expert committee constituted by the government had suggested that the state government may reopen schools for all classes in the state.

An order issued by Chief Secretary P Ravikumar earlier last week had mentioned that consent letter from parents was made mandatory for students to attend offline classes. The order added that students will be screened for Covid-19 symptoms on entry. Only 50 per cent of the capacity in a classroom is allowed to be filled as a precautionary measure.

Further, as per standard operating procedures recommended by the health department, managements have been directed to disinfect classrooms and restrooms daily using 1 per cent sodium hypochlorite solution.

However, barring a few private schools in Bengaluru and Mysuru, most schools resumed classes on Monday.

“We were happy to see good attendance in most primary schools that are members of our association. Except for a section of parents who have not enrolled their children yet, the average attendance in budget private schools across the state was certainly over 70 per cent as reported to me,” said D Shasikumar, general secretary of the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS).

At least 3700 schools of the total 4000 member schools of KAMS have begun offline classes for students throughout age groups as on Monday, he added.

Meanwhile, the principal of a prominent CBSE school in Bengaluru said, “We have decided to resume offline classes for students of Class I to V on the Monday after Deepavali (November 8) as parents wanted to check on the current situation of the pandemic.” The principal added that a few parents were “still adamant” that they would send their wards to the school only after they are vaccinated.