Bengaluru, Feb 1 (IANS): With the easing of Covid-induced restrictions on declining positive cases across Karnataka, regular classes for students of standard 9 would begin from Monday as per the guidelines, an education official said on Sunday.

"As per the protocols of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and guidelines of the Union Health Ministry, full-day classes for 9th standard students will begin in all high schools across the state from Monday," the official told IANS.

As schools and colleges remained shut since March 25, 2020 to contain the pandemic, their students were attending classes through online, since July.

Offline classes for students of standard 10 in higher secondary schools and pre-university course (PUC) in junior colleges were started from January 1 in addition to online classes to make up for the last 6 months as they were shut.

"Classes for students ofT 6th-8th standard under the Vidyagama programme will continue to be held in the open air under shade on alternate days from 10:00am to 12:30pm," said the official.

Wearing a face mask, maintaining physical distance and sanitising hands will be mandatory for all students, teachers and staff in all schools and colleges.

"The department has issued a time-table to all high schools for classes 9,10, 11 and 12 from 10:00am to 4:30p.m. on all days - Monday to Saturday," said the official.

"As classes will be for a full day, students have been advised to carry their lunch packed from home and a consent letter from parents to attend classes in their respective schools, mentioning that their wards are free from the virus," asserted the official.

The education department is yet to decide on starting classes for students of first-to-fifth standards in primary schools across the southern state.

The education department has also directed all schools to sanitise classes and maintain hygiene in the premises to prevent the virus spread.