No decision yet on re-opening LKG and UKG

Bengaluru: Schools will re-open for the students of classes 1 to 5 in Karnataka from Oct. 25, strictly adhering to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and SOPs issued by the Department of Primary and Secondary Education, the State Government said yesterday.

However, a parental consent letter for physical classes is mandatory. Earlier, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “Already the experts committee has given the report, we will issue the order. Regarding, from when (to start the classes) and all those details, the Chief Secretary will hold a meeting with the Education Department.”

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the CM had said that a decision on re-opening schools from classes 1 to 5 will be taken. With COVID-19 cases declining, the Government had re-opened schools for classes 6 to 8 from Sept. 6, and for students of classes 9 to 12 from Aug. 23.

Earlier in the day, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh said that the schools will be re-opened for students of class 1 to 5 on the basis of the recommendation of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19. “If they say from Oct. 21, we will start; if they say a week later, we will start a week later,” he said.

Noting that the Government wants to start classes from 1 to 5 in one go, he said, “but our plan is to have half-a-day classes during the initial one week or so, and thereafter full day classes, once students get used to it,” he said. The Minister, however, said no decision has been taken regarding re-opening for LKG and UKG.

 The Government also eased other restrictions including allowing the public to use swimming pools that were earlier limited to sportspersons. It has permitted swimming pools to operate at 50 percent capacity of each batch, with a display of the number allowable at the entrance. Only those who have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines and are asymptomatic will be allowed to enter the pool.