Bengaluru: 3-week mid-term holidays for school activities

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday announced a three-week "mid-term holiday" for all types of school activities in the State from October 12-October 30 citing instances of several teachers and students contracting the infection as the total tally continues to increase daily in Karnataka.

The order of the chief minister said, "I have come to know through media reports that several teachers have been infected with Covid-19. Therefore, I have directed the officials to issue an order to declare a three-week-long mid-term holiday in the best interest of the health of students and teachers."

The latest direction will be a relief to government school teachers who were asked to report for duties to ensure participation in the 'Vidyagama' programme, under which they were asked to meet students at playgrounds or temples near the children's residences to engage them in academic activities, as schools remained closed due to the ongoing pandemic.

The government had earlier this month cancelled mid- term holidays, scheduled between October 3 to 26, for schools in the state for the year 2020-21. It had said that the Vidyagama programme for government school students and online classes in private schools would continue.

However, the scheme was temporarily discontinued after 34 students and some teachers tested positive for the COVID-19.

Amid a raging debate on reopening of schools, Yediyurappa on Friday had requested parents of children not to pay heed to speculation in this regard and assured them that a decision will be taken only after weighing the pros and cons.