Karnataka: Govt to open schools for LKG, UKG from Nov 8

Bengaluru, Nov 05: The Karnataka government has decided to reopen physical classes for LKG and UKG students in the districts where the positivity rate is less than 2 per cent.

On November 4, the Department of Public Instruction issued a notice stating that classes will be conducted for half the day from November 8. However, the order said that it is compulsory to take parents' consent for their children to attend physical classes.

With this, all classes will be fully functional in the state for the first time since March 2020.

According the government guidelines, covid restrictions like screening symptoms on entry, 50 per cent of the capacity in a classroom, provision of hand sanitizers, physical distancing of a minimum of one meter as practically feasible, no crowding, particularly at school entry and exit, and disinfecting classrooms and restrooms daily using 1 percent sodium hypochlorite solution must be followed.

Only teachers and staff who have been vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccines would be allowed in classes 1 to 5, it had said, there shall be additional use of face shield by teachers who are over 50 years of age.

The government had reopened schools for students of classes 6 to 8 from September 6 and for students of classes 9 to 12 from August 23.