The order also prohibits schools from collecting fees from parents for online education. (Getty Image)
Days after Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar announced a ban on online classes up to the fifth standard across schools in the state, an official order issued on Tuesday has finally put an end to private schools conducting the same.
As per the order, schools affiliated to different boards — ICSE, CBSE, state syllabus, and others including international boards — are directed to stop holding online classes for students from kindergarten (LKG, UKG) to Class 5.
Citing powers granted as per section 7 of the Karnataka Education Act (1983), the order also prohibits schools from collecting fees from parents for online education.
“An order is issued to schools that they are not allowed to offer online classes from LKG to Class 5. For schools offering online classes for these classes already, the same should be stopped immediately. This includes pre-recorded video and audio contents as well until the government receives a report from the expert committee constituted to look into the matter,” the order stated.
It can be recalled that contradictory statements made by ministers — Suresh Kumar and Law Minister J C Madhuswamy — had sparked confusion regarding the same on Thursday.
Further, parents had also raised concern over some private schools continuing to hold online classes on Monday as well, as they awaited an official order validating the ban.
Meanwhile, guidelines on how to organise online classes for students of classes 6 to 10 are yet to be issued.
A committee comprising senior academician Prof M K Sridharand, Dr Gururaj Karjagi, Dr V P Niranjanaradhya, representatives of parents and school managements across boards, top education department officials and experts from National Insitute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) was directed to submit a report, based on which guidelines will be issued.
“The report is expected to reach us within a week from now and guidelines will be issued promptly,” an education official told