BENGALURU: Educational institutions in Karnataka can be reopened in a phased manner, starting with colleges, adviser to the government on educational reforms Prof MR Doreswamy has said. However, he did not suggest a date for reopening of institutes.He said that college students are aware of healthcare rules and generally have higher immunity compared to children of lower grades. However, the latter reason has been disputed by educationists.
Doreswamy has written to Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan and Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Suresh Kumar, giving his suggestions on reopening of schools and colleges.He has suggested that pre-university students can resume academics at institutes in a phased manner, followed by students of lower grades, but only from Grade 6 upwards. To avoid complications such as hostel facilities and interstate transport, he said that institutes can reopen only for local students.
At institutions, students should be organised in two batches and each batch can attend classes on alternate days, thereby keeping student strength to half on any given day.The Ministry of Home Affairs recently allowed reopening of schools in a graded manner after October 15. The ministry, in its SOP, had suggested staggered timetables and alternatives such as reduced timings for different classes, planned in such a way that physical/social distancing is maintained.
This would mean asking some to attend school on alternate days, or two days in a week, and combining it with home assignment, the ministry suggested. The ‘Odd-Even Formula’ for classes was also a recommendation, as was running school in two shifts for larger classrooms.