From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 30: After the reopening of Classes from 9th Standard to Pre-University students from August 26, the State Government has decided to reopen physical classes for students of Classes 6th to 8th Standards from September 6.

The State Government took the decision at a high-level review meeting on Covid-19 based on the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee s chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru on Monday.

Revenue Minister R Ashok, who announced the decisions at a press conference late in the evening, said classes will be re-opened for the students of Classes 6th 8th Standard only in taluks that have a Covid test positivity rate of below 2 per cent.

The minister made it clear that classes would be held on alternative days for the students with all Covid norms in place while pointing out that attendance should not cross 50 per cent in the classes.

5-day classes

In all, the classes would be held five days a week while the remaining two days would have to be utilised by the school authorities to sanitise the classrooms and premises, the minister said.

Guidelines for Ganesha Festival on Sept 5

After assessment of Covid pandemic situation in the State, Ashok said the Chief Minister will decide on allowing public celebration of Ganesha festival which falls on September 10. 

The Chief Minister will take the decision on permitting celebration of Ganesha festival on September 5 after another round of talks with experts, the minister said.

Weekend Curfew to continue in DK, Udupi, Kodagu, Hassan

The Revenue Minister announced that the weekend curfew will be continued in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu and Hassan districts.

Institutional quarantine of 7 days is mandatory for students of Kerala coming to Karnataka, the minister said and made it clear that the students will have to undergo Covid tests after completing the mandatory 7-day institutional quarantine.

Ashok explained that the experience of physical classes conducted for Classes 9th, 10th and PUC students was by and large fairly successful. Of the 6,472 students who attended classes, barely 14 had tested positive. “This is negligible compared to the total number of total students attending,’’ he said making it clear that the physical classes will be continued for classes 9th, 10th standards and first and second year PUC.

Apart from Revenue Minister R Ashok and Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh, Urban Development Minister S T Somashekar, Chief Secretary P Ravikumar, Director General of Police Praveen Sood, Medical Experts Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Dr Sudarshan and Dr C N Manjunath and other senior officials attended the meeting.

The government order: