Karnataka to start schools for class 10, class 12 students from January 1

BENGALURU: Karnataka will re-open schools for class 10 and class 12 for in-person learning on January 1. On the same day, the government will also resume its continuous learning programme Vidyagama for rural children from Class 6 to Class 9 in a revised format.

A formal letter from Education Minister S Suresh Kumar to all district in-charge ministers & MLAs/MLCs sets at rest any speculations on the subject. The government decision in this regard followed an opinion from the Covid-19 technical advisory committee favouring partial resumption of academic activities in schools with necessary Covid-19 prevention protocols in place. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa also gave a go ahead.

The government’s decision was influenced by the steady drop in daily state-wide coronavirus cases which was 911 on Sunday.


Suresh Kumar, in his letter, requested ministers and other people’s representatives for their cooperation and involvement in conducting classes as well as Vidyagama programme with utmost care and precaution. He also requested them to monitor the smooth conduct of classes in their respective districts and Assembly constituencies and hold meetings with deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat chief executive officers and issue instructions as necessary.

There are about 5.4 million children studying in government schools and lakhs of children from for low-income families studying in budget schools, and their studies had been disrupted for want of online education, an alternative channel sections of private schools provided to their students with some degree of success.

The government’s decision on keeping children engaged with learning activities came in the wake of a public interest litigation in the Karnataka High Court which sought to know the steps the education department had taken to protect a child’s constitutional right to education.

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy has been vocal about continuity of education for children. He had told ET in an interview last month, “I am the son of a teacher. I personally feel that we should not become a victim of this pandemic… We cannot close our schools. I have immense faith in our children. If we teach them the importance of social distancing, they will follow it better than elders.”

The government had suspended the Vidyagama programme in October in response to media reports that a few students had contracted the Covid-19 infection.