The High Court of Karnataka has been informed by the government today that it has allowed online classes to be conducted by schools for students of Lower KG to Standard V, for limited hours.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Nataraj Rangaswamy was informed about this interim arrangement that has been made before the government considers the recommendations of the expert committee and issues its final guidelines.
The Karnataka High Court had previously observed that the State couldn’t have passed an order to prevent schools under all boards from conducting online classes for students of Lower KG to Standard V, and had asked the State government to come up with a solution or allow the classes for certain hours. This order had come after petitions were filed before the Court challenging the order of complete ban on online classes by state government on June 15.
The government issued a modified order on June 27, according to which the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, for digital education will be followed by all the schools.
According to the ministry’s guidelines for digital education, for students of Class 1 to 5, online synchronous learning may be undertaken for not more than 2 sessions of 30-45 minutes (maximum 3 days in a week) on alternative days. As far as students of class 6 to 8 are concerned, online synchronous learning can be undertaken for not more than 2 sessions of 30-45 minutes for 5 days in a week. 9 to 10 Online synchronous learning may be undertaken for not more than 4 sessions of 30-45 minutes for 5 days in a week. No extra free may be charged, and the cos be borne under the regular tutuon fee considering the need to provide online education as supplemantary to formal education during the Covid-19 pandemic.
-India Legal Bureau