With SSLC examinations scheduled to be held in the third week of July, and schools preparing for the 2021–22 academic year that will start next week, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar has directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner to relieve teachers from COVID-19-related duty.
Mr. Kumar said teachers were needed to conduct admission campaigns and undertake work related to the upcoming board examination. “The list of teaching and non-teaching staff involved in examination work will be provided by the deputy directors of public instruction and they should be vaccinated on priority before the commencement of the SSLC examination,” Mr. Kumar said in his letter.
The number of examination centres have been increased to 6,000 so that students can follow social distancing norms. “This will require more invigilators and teachers who will be deployed on SSLC examination duty,” stated a press release quoting the Minister.
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In the SOPs for the conduct of the examination, the Department of Public Instruction has said that the staff involved in the process should take at least one dose of vaccine before the third week of July.
Vaccination for college students
The Higher Education Department will take a decision on whether physical classes can be conducted in July after all students above the age of 18, and teaching and non-teaching staff receive their first dose of vaccine.
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In a press release, Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said the department had decided to conduct vaccination drives at the college level. “The date of reopening of offline classes will be announced soon after the completion of the first dose of vaccination to all eligible students and staff,” he said.
To receive the vaccine dose in the drive, students, teachers, and non-teaching staff have to submit a letter provided from their institution and the head of the college. Officials from the department will be designated as nodal officers for these drives.