Schools across Karnataka will observe a three-week holiday from Monday, said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday, 11 October, citing reports of teachers having contracted COVID in some districts.
"I have directed officials to issue an order declaring a three-week holiday for schools from 12-30 October in view of the reports that several teachers have been infected by COVID-19," said Yediyurappa in a statement in Kannada.
The decision comes a day after the state primary and secondary education department on Saturday suspended the Vidyagama scheme, unveiled to teach students of the state-run schools during the pandemic following reports that 34 students in Belagavi and Kalaburagi districts in the state's northern region tested positive.
With schools shut since 25 March, when the lockdown was enforced and extended to contain the virus spread, the department had directed state-run schools to resume classes for students who do not have online access to lessons being imparted by private schools to their students across the state.
"The Vidyagama scheme has been launched to enable around 42-lakh students from socially weaker sections to learn in classes held in open spaces under trees or verandah in their school premises," an official told IANS.
Though the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued guidelines to reopen all schools and colleges across the country from 15 October, the state government has not decided to not reopen them given the rising number of COVID cases.
Former state chief minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader HD Kumaraswamy rapped the state government for cancelling the mid-term holidays for teachers despite a surge in COVID cases over the weeks.
"In the midst of the pandemic, teachers of state-run and private schools are forced to attend schools to work without classes. The state government is risking the health of teachers and welfare of their families even as COVID cases continue to rise across the state," said Kumaraswamy in Kannada.
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