Full day classes for 9,10, PUC students from Feb 1 in Karnataka

The Karnataka government hasdecided to hold full-day classes for students of class 9, 10,and first and second year Pre-University across the state fromFebruary 1, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S SureshKumar said on Thursday.

The decision was taken in consultation with the stateTechnical Advisory Committee for COVID-19, keeping in mind thehealth and educational future of the students, based on theexperience we have gained so far.

''We held a discussion with the Health Minister (KSudhakar) and COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee members...

at the meeting it was decided to start full day classes forclass 9, 10, first and second year PUC (class 11 and 12)students from February 1,'' Suresh Kumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, the Vidyagamaprogramme, which enables continued schooling for students fromclasses six to eight, will continue as it is.

A decision on starting classes for the other studentswould be taken after observing the present set up till thesecond week of next month, he added.

The schools and PUC colleges were shut due to COVID-19pandemic since early last year.

The government had reopened them for class 10 and secondyear PUC (class 12) students, along with Vidyagama programmefor students from standards six to nine, from January 1 withthe schools functioning for half day.

The department has said offline or online classes willcontinue as per choice of students and parents, and theattendance was not compulsory.

Kumar said they noticed interest among students inlearning and they were preferring regular classes. Also, therehad been demand from parents and School Development andMonitoring Committees (SDMCs) to have continued classes.

On an average 75 per cent attendance had been reported insecond PUC classes, while it was 70 per cent in class 10, hesaid, adding Vidyagama classes recorded 45 per centattendance.

Classes were being held as per the standing operatingprocedure that was prescribed by the technical advisorycommittee and so far there has been no reports of large scaleinfection among students and teachers.

The Minister also announced that the Secondary SchoolLeaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations for the year would beheld from June 14 to 25.

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