Updated: October 11, 2020 6:13:16 pm
CM BS Yediyurappa dedicated Dasara’s wishes in advance to all teachers and students in the state by announcing holidays until October 30th. Representative image / file
Karnataka’s chief minister, BS Yediyurappa, announced on Sunday a three-week “intermediate holiday” for all kinds of school activities in the state, citing cases of various teachers and students contracting the infection as the total count continues to rise daily. in the state.
In an order, Yediyurappa said: “I learned through media reports that several teachers have been infected with COVID-19. Therefore, officials were ordered to issue an order declaring a three-week interim holiday in the best interest of the health of students and teachers. “
# Karnataka CM Yediyurappa announces three-week vacation for schools from October 12-30 due to increased # COVID-19 cases. He also cites recent reports of positive cases among teachers and students. @education_work @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/0F6TqDh9k9
– Ralph Alex Arakal (@ralpharakal) October 11, 2020
The latest address is a relief to several government school teachers who were asked to report to their duties to ensure participation in the ‘Vidyagama’ program, whereby they were asked to meet students on playgrounds. or temples near the children’s residences to involve them in academic activities. activities, as schools remained closed due to the ongoing pandemic.
The government’s decision to continue the program drew criticism from many, including former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy, after 34 students attending classes under the program in the Belagavi and Kalaburagi districts of northern Karnataka gave positive for COVID-19.
READ | Karnataka CM calls on parents not to heed speculation about reopening schools
This subsequently led to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education ordering a “temporary suspension” of the program.
Earlier on Sunday, Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy had criticized the government’s decision to cancel the mid-term vacation. “Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, public and private school teachers go to schools to work. Public school teachers continue to work. The government has mistreated teachers by suspending their mid-term vacations, ”he tweeted.
In a series of tweets, Kumaraswamy added: “While students do not come to schools due to Covid-19, teachers must attend school to do other jobs. What is the government trying to achieve? “Attaching a government order dated October 1 that mentions the suspension of intermediate holidays scheduled to be October 3 to 26.
CM Yediyurappa’s instructions issued on Sunday override other orders issued by the government in this regard, allowing teachers and students to stay away from all academic activities. The CM also dedicated Dasara’s wishes in advance to all teachers and students in the state by announcing the holidays until October 30th.
Meanwhile, the total number of Covid-19 cases to date surpassed the seven lakh mark, with more than 1.2 lakh of active cases in the state, as of October 10. At least 9891 people have succumbed to the infection in the past seven months. based on statistics released by the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services.
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