Bengaluru : Karnataka state education department has announced mid-term holidays for three weeks starting October 12. Èven teachers will be given leave during this duration and the suspension of classes is also applicable to online sessions.

The holidays are applicable to state-run private and government schools as per officials from the department.

This U-turn by the state government comes just 10 days after primary and secondary education minister Suresh Kumar announced the cancellation of the mid-term holidays (Dasara Holidays).

On Sunday, chief minister BS Yediyurappa ordered a three weeks holidays for schools in the state from October 12 to 30. This was followed by official orders by the education department, which also suspended the Vidyagama project on Saturday until further notice.

Yediyurappa said that the classes and Vidyagama project has been suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic. “Several teachers have been reported to be infected by the virus. Hence, students and teachers will have three weeks of holiday from October 12 to October 30th,” he ordered, also wishing teachers and children a happy Dussehra in advance.

The cancellation of class applies to both online and offline classes, the in-charge, Principal Secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education Tushar Girinath told. The government was supposed to decide on the reopening of schools post-October 15, which is effectively called off with this decision. The private schools that have been running online classes were waiting for the government to let them start offline sessions with students for clearing doubts at least and had made preparations in September itself.

However, responding to the government’s decision on the holidays, Shashi Kumar, general secretary of KAMS, said that “KAMS advises its member schools that online and offline support system in www.kamstv.com shall be stoped for Nursery and 8-10 standard which are telecasted.”

With just an oral order, Kumar has said that he has asked the in-charge Principal Secretary of primary and secondary education, Tushar Girinath, to give clarification order on Holidays, if it is applicable even for Private Unaided Schools, and online classes, in written form.

“However, online revision will be available with a new timetable for all subject during holidays with assessment,” Kumar added.