-Reshma Ravishanker
The state government has decided to vaccinate students aged above 18, teaching and non-teaching staff in colleges on priority. This comes in the wake of the recent announcement by chief minister B S Yediyurappa to commence in-person classes for degree students in a phased manner.
Deputy chief minister and minister for higher education, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said that vaccination for students and staff would commence in July in the respective colleges as per guidelines issued by the central government and in consultation with officials from the department of health and family welfare.
The vaccination will be done in a campaign mode. Students can get inoculated in their respective colleges. Validation letters issued by college authorities must be submitted at the time of vaccination. Each institution will have two officers, one of who will be the head of the institution.
Speaking to presspersons later in the day, he said that in-person classes for students will be started only once all students have received at least their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“The teaching-learning process has not stopped. Attendance is mandatory even for online classes,” he added.
Meanwhile, the primary education department has announced that SSLC exams (class 10 board exams for state board students) will take place in the third week of July. Minister for primary and secondary education S Suresh Kumar has directed Deputy Commissioners of all districts to ensure that arrangements are made to vaccinate teachers, invigilators, education department officials, and staff involved in examination duty to be vaccinated on priority.
This time, the department has identified over 6,000 exam centers and adequate staff have to be deputed here. In the wake of this, the minister has also written to the commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to relieve teachers off Covid-19 duty as they have multiple roles to play. With admissions round the corner, teachers are expected to remain in schools for enrollment while some others also participate in the SSLC exam process.
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