Covid-19: Karnataka may adopt decentralised way to reopen schools

Karnataka health minister said district schools like Morarjee Desai residential schools, BBMP schools and Ekalavya residential schools will follow a uniform method of administration.

The Karnataka government is mulling the idea of opening regular schools in places where the pandemic is absolutely controlled, acting along the lines of advice given by the Covid-19 task force led by eminent cardiologist Dr. Devi Shetty.

Karnataka health minister Suresh Kumar said the report given by the Covid-19 task force recently recommended “a decentralised method to resume regular classes. (Representational photo)

Speaking at an event, Karnataka health minister Suresh Kumar said the report given by the Covid-19 task force recently recommended “a decentralised method to resume regular classes.

“We are thinking of opening schools initially in taluks, districts and in the remote areas of the state. The schools will be reopened only after considering a series of reports and suggestions on the viability done at the local levels” Kumar stated.

The state education department will administer only the instruction model. All other aspects will be administered by schools themselves. Kumar said district schools like Morarjee Desai residential schools, BBMP schools, Ekalavya residential schools, and many others will follow a uniform method of administration.

The health minister also spoke on challenges faced by the rural children in the present scenario of online education and assured action to solve it. He acknowledged that the network problem persisting in the rural and hilly areas created problems in their studies.

“In this regard, I will have a meeting with the chief secretary and the chief minister and will work out solutions to this problem soon. Telecom networking companies will also be a part of this meeting”, he said.

Emphasising the importance of regular classes, he said that they played a vital role in bridging the gap between different classes of people. "We are also bringing in social workers to bridge this gap ", he said. In some cases, schools help in countering evils like child labour and child marriage, Kumar added.

“In the coming times, many government spaces will also be opened for children to study during the daytime and beyond, under the supervision of a teacher or an elder. These spaces will include community halls, school quadrangles and corridors, and government buildings”, the minister informed.