3-week holiday for Karnataka schools from October 12-30 as COVID-19 cases surge

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Bengaluru: Karnataka has announced a three-week mid-term holiday for all types of school activities from October 12 to 30 due to reports of a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases among teachers. The order was issued by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday (October 11, 2020).

"I have come to know through the media about many teachers contracting COVID-19 infection, so keeping in mind the health of teachers and students, I have directed senior officials to issue an order declaring mid-term holiday for three weeks from October 12 to 30," Yediyurappa said in a statement, reports PTI.

The Chief Minister noted that orders have already been issued not to open schools for the time being.

In the wake of reports that 34 students and some teachers tested positive for the COVID-19, the state government on Saturday had decided to halt the Vidyagama programme temporarily.

The Vidyagama programme enabled continued schooling to government school students by teachers visiting their vicinities. It had earlir said that the Vidyagama programme for government school students and online classes in private schools would continue.

The government had earlier this month cancelled mid- term holidays, scheduled between October 3 to 26.

Meanwhile, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumraswamy in a series of tweets slammed the state government's decision to cancel mid-term holidays and asked "whether teachers were daily wage workers under dictatorship?"