Call on reopening schools in Bengaluru on Jan 29

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government will take a call on reopening of schools in Bengaluru on January 29, Education Minister B.C. Nagesh said on Friday after attending a high-level committee meeting in the city.

Talking to reporters, he said that barring Bengaluru, schools will continue to operate across the state.

"We are considering one school as a unit. Assistant commissioners, district health officers and the tehsildars will take a call on closure of schools in other parts of the state. If fewer Covid cases are reported, that particular school will be closed for three days, if the numbers are more, the school will be closed for seven days," he explained.

As far as Bengaluru is concerned, since the positivity rate is higher, the decision on reopening of schools will be made on January 29. However, the positivity rate among children in the age group of 6 to 15 years is less in the state, he said."Among the 5,33,104 students in the age group of 6 to 15 years tested for Covid-19, the positivity rate is 5.94 per cent. Six districts have 9 per cent or more positivity rate and in 13 districts, it is less than 5 per cent. Bengaluru Urban has a positivity rate of 14.12 per cent, while it is 8.84 per cent for Bengaluru Rural," he stated.