The government’s decision to declare holidays for all lower primary schools (class 1 to 5) in Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts after a patient in Bengaluru tested positive for COVID-19 has thrown examination schedules awry. G. Jagadeesha, Commissioner for Public Instruction, said that a decision on examinations for lower primary section students in Bengaluru will be taken once classes resume. However, following the government’s decision, many schools have decided to end the academic year and assess students based on their academic performance earlier in the year.
Classes and examinations for students from Classes 6 to 9 will be advanced, and vacation will begin on March 23. The schedule for the class ten SSLC examinations (March 27 to April 9) remains unchanged.
All government aided and unaided schools across the State have been instructed to declare summer vacation for students in classes between 1 and 5 from March 16. For students between Classes 6 and 9, the vacation will begin on March 23.
A circular for the closure of pre-KG, LKG and UKG schools until further orders had been issued on Sunday.
Parents said that they are yet to receive a circular from schools declaring holidays. Working parents, especially, are worried about how they will take care of their children during the day. “My child’s daycare has also said that they would be closed. I will have to skip work to take care of my child,” said Prajwala S., a parent of a five-year-old girl.
Many are trying to find classes to keep their children occupied. “We had anticipated that schools will close for summer vacation only at the end of March. But now, we have to figure out what to do for the additional weeks,” said another parent.
