Karnataka on Wednesday announced a ban on online education by schools from pre-nursery to fifth grade responding to opinions shared by child psychiatrists, and educational experts.
The decision applies to all schools within Karnataka regardless of their affiliation to central or state boards, Education Minister S Suresh Kumar announced. As for permitting online education from class 6 to class 10, the government has formed a panel of experts which will study the challenges and come up with a set of guidelines for schools. The committee will submit its report in 10 days, the minister said.
The same committee will also study how primary schools can deploy technology (not online classes) to teach children up to class 5 in a way it is all-inclusive and reaches children even in remotest part of Karnataka.
The government, the minister said, will take stringent action if any private school is found to be collecting money in the name of online education.
The government, Kumar said, has directed private schools that they cannot increase tuition fee this year, and he will be very happy if schools come forward and cut their existing fee recognizing the distress large sections of people are fighting due to Covid-19 pandemic which has resulted in a lot of people losing jobs and facing pay cuts.
The Minister held a series of consulting with child and education experts and school management associations before announcing a ban on online education.
There was also a huge public outcry in recent days with sections of parents as well as education officials suspecting the online education for children up to 10 years as a ploy by private schools to collect money.
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