Parents: Are students of Class 7-9 not at risk of contracting virus?

BENGALURU: The state government’s order declaring “study holidays” for seventh to ninth-grade students and asking them to take their exams at a later date (as slotted by their respective schools), has spread panic among parents, who have termed the decision biased.

The parents questioned Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar’s decision on Thursday to declare holidays only for first to sixth standard students, saying seventh to ninth grade students too are equally susceptible to coronavirus.

Ritu Sama, a parent and resident of Marathahalli, said, “My daughter is in seventh grade at a school in Whitefield and her exams are on. She has been going and writing the exams. From the time she leaves home for her exams and comes back, we are all panicking and praying for her safety. She also can be affected by Covid-19. I don’t know on why the government decided to close schools only till sixth standard. It should have been extended till ninth.”

Another parent Praveen Kumar from Whitefield said, “My child is in eighth grade and she does not have to write the exams as they are not boards. The authorities could have postponed the exams or conducted them online. As all children sit together in a hall and write exams, there are chances of the virus spreading. The government specifies that the place should be sanitised. But it is impractical to sanitise all the surfaces that children touch when they go to school. They should announce holidays. It is scary for a parent and risky for a child.”

Sagarika G, a sibling of a student and a resident of Frazer Town, said, “It is stupid of the government to take this decision. My sister is in her eight grade. Why was it so important to continue with the exams during such a crisis? Students travel in buses and they are together most of the time, which is scary. We cannot even stop them from going for exams, as they are mandatory.”Some parents tweeted tagging Chief Minister Yediyurappa, asking him to cancel classes and not wait till the situation turns like in Italy, where the virus has affected hundreds.