No decision has been taken with regard to either re-opening of schools in the State or re-starting the Vidyagama scheme, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S. Suresh Kumar said here today.
He told reporters after a meeting with officials of the Education Department that the meeting discussed in detail the issue of re-opening of schools and had collated information from other States.
Schools have already re-opened in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and according to news reports, 57 teachers and around six students have tested positive for COVID-19.
Mr. Suresh Kumar said the Commissioner of Public Instructions would hold consultations with officials from Departments of Social Welfare and Health, and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, apart from representatives of School Development Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) from all taluks in the State. The Commissioner would also consult departments concerned with regard to Morarji Desai residential schools, Kittur Chennamma schools and Ashrama schools in the State.
The officials would use the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) network to consult with representatives from at least two SDMCs in all taluks. “We cannot go lower than the taluk level for consultations,” he said.
After the three-day consultations that will end on Friday, the Commissioner would submit a report, he said and added that senior officials had already met with the various Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPI) and Block Education Officers (BEOs). “We have also consulted the school teachers’ associations.”
“Today, representatives of private schools in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan and Kodagu, including ICSE and CBSE, are meeting to discuss re-opening of schools. We will take into account their opinion as well.”
After the consultations, Mr. Suresh Kumar said he would submit a final report to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and explain the situation, following which a final decision would be announced. This, he said, would take around four to five days.
Vidyagama scheme
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the State, the schools have remained shut and many have been offering online education to their students. The State government introduced Vidyagama scheme, a continuous learning programme for students of government schools. However, it was suspended amidst fear of spread of the pandemic.
To a question on learning in government schools, following the suspension of Vidyagama, the Minister said that teachers of government schools, within their own limits, had been making use of Whatsapp and Youtube to impart lessons to students. “In the previous academic year, lessons for students of Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination were telecast on DD Chandana. This year, lessons for classes 8, 9, 10 are being telecast on the channel. By December, one round of teaching of all lessons is likely to be completed,” he said.
For classes 1 to 7, the department had approached Akashvani and floated a tender for private channels. The decision on the tender would be taken in a week’s time.
On schools damaged in flood-hit districts in the State, Mr. Suresh Kumar said the department had sought a report from the BEOs on the condition of schools, extent of damage, number of schools completely damaged, those needing renovation/repair and the estimated cost of the same.
Transfers
The meeting with senior officials also discussed transfers. The teachers’ transfers had been put off due to various reasons, including election code of conduct. He said once the code of conduct ends, the department would discuss with the Election Commission and announce the date for the transfer process.
He also said the department had decided to first take up promotion and transfer for posts of principals and transfer of Pre-University lecturers.
