Unaided private schools in Karnataka have expressed opposition to a circular imposing a timing mandate on all schools in Bengaluru.

The associated managements of primary and secondary schools in Karnataka (KAMS) have written a letter to school education minister B C Nagesh opposing a circular issued on September 20, asking schools to start classes between 8 and 8.30 am only in the morning.

The association has claimed that the department’s imposition on schools is not thought over and is unmindful of the current lifestyle, traffic snarls and vehicular density.

“It is a known fact that even to travel short distances (5-10 kms), it takes hours together in some areas. Bengaluru’s entry points are choked with inbound outstation traffic resulting in traffic jams and hence a higher movement of vehicles within the city between 6 am and 8 am. To ferry students for classes that commence at 9, it is not uncommon that school buses from the city centre to schools located on the city outskirts pick them up as early as 7 am. This is leaving pre-primary and primary students in a mad rush,” read the letter.

KAMS general secretary, D Shashi Kumar also claimed that commencing classes even earlier would inconvenience such students.

“Students in younger classes are already suffering due to insufficient time for play and physical activity. The challenges of parents are not to be dismissed. Many of them rise hours before the school time to prepare meals, assist children and help senior citizens at home. Preponing the school hours will render this schedule also awry,” said Kumar.

The association has sought that the current school timings be retained, and schools be given an option to decide on the timings rather than make an imposition on them.

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