Bengaluru: Classes for 10, PUC to commence from Jan 1

Bengaluru: Classes for class 10 and PUC II will commence from January 1 and Vidyagama programme will resume for class 6 and 9.

At a meeting convened by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa at his official residence, it was also decided to resume other classes after assessing the situation for the first15 days.

The CM directed that all precautionary measures should be taken before the classes resume. As per the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee for Covid-19, letters stating the students do not have any symptoms of Covid-19 from parents is mandatory.

Students of residential schools and hostels must get themselves tested for Covid-19 72 hours before their admission and submit the negative report.

All the classrooms should be disinfected. Classes will be held for half day and there will be no serving of mid-day meal. Instead, food grains will be supplied at the doorstep of the students.

It was decided in the meeting that the schools must adhere to all precautionary measures mentioned in the guidelines of the education department. Under the Vidyagama programme students should attend the schools twice a week.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Yediyurappa said "Everyone has unanimously agreed to it...so it has been agreed to start classes 10 and 12 from January 1 and Vidyagama for classes 6 to 9 students."

Schools and PU colleges have remained closed since March just ahead of the national lockdown was first enforced to combat COVID-19.

Degree and engineering colleges in the state were reopened on November 17. S Suresh Kumar, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr. K.Sudhakar, Minister for Health and Medical Education, P. RaviKumar, ACS to government, S.Umashankar , Principal Secretary, Education, were present in the meeting.