BENGALURU: The technical advisory committee (TAC) for COVID-19 in Karnataka recently recommended that the state should reopen classes for students of class 10 and 12 from January 1. The TAC members met with the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Primary and Secondary Education to discuss the reopening of schools. However, the decision and the dates will be finalized only after discussion with the Chief Minister of Karnataka and finalization of standard operating procedures.
The recommendation stated that students should come to school with a consent letter from the parents. The consent letter is also to have an undertaking that students have no symptoms like sore throat, cold, or cough, for no student will be allowed to attend school physically if they do.
Schools in India have remained closed since March this year due to the pandemic. States including Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa have reopened schools for higher classes already, while having the facility of online classes still in practice.