COVID-19 Impact: Karnataka Government announces three-week mid-term holiday for schools

Schools in Karnataka have a three-week mid-term holiday, the Karnataka Government directed.

With the increasing coronavirus cases in the state, the Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has announced a three-week “mid-term holiday” for all types of school activities. The decision has been taken after several teachers and students tested positive for coronavirus infection. 

In an order, Yediyurappa said, “I have come to know through media reports that several teachers have been infected with COVID-19. Therefore, officials gave been directed 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 is a relief to several government school teachers who were otherwise asked to report for duties to ensure participation in the ‘Vidyagama’ programme, by 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 programme has been criticised by many, including former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy after 34 students attending classes under the programme in Belagavi and Kalaburagi districts in North Karnataka tested positive for COVID-19. This had later led to the Primary and Secondary Education Department ordering a “temporary suspension” of the programme.

CM Yediyurappa’s directions issued on Sunday overrules other orders made by the government in this regard, allowing teachers and students to stay off all academic activities. The CM also dedicated Dasara wishes in advance to all teachers and students in the state announcing holidays until October 30. Schools, Colleges and other educational institutions across the country have been kept closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

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