Bengaluru pvt school holds 'voluntary' classes despite CM's order announcing holidays

Education

While the classes are said to be voluntary, teachers are allegedly being covertly forced to come to school.

Soumya Chatterjee

Stonehill International School/ Facebook page

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, Stonehill International School in Bengaluru is allegedly holding “voluntary” physical classes. This is despite Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s announcement of a three-week holiday for students and teachers in schools in the state, due to the pandemic. When TNM reached out to the management of the school, they denied that classes were held; however, documents sent to their staff and students, accessed by TNM, suggest otherwise. A person in the know of the school management’s decision said that, while the school started online classes even before the state government’s directive, things changed in October. “While the classes are told to be voluntary, teachers are being covertly forced to come to school,” the person said The school management, led by Brian D Brumsickle, Head of the School, has been telling the staff that physical classes will be held for a maximum of 11 students each. The rest of the students can simultaneously attend the classes online. TNM has accessed an online document that both students and teachers had to fill up if they consented to attending the physical classes. However, Joe Lumsden, Principal of the Secondary division of the school, said, “There are no classes being held at least till November 15 until we get clearance from the state government. Students might be going to the school to collect study materials. ” In a statement shared by the Chief Minister’s office on Sunday, Yediyurappa said, "I have directed officials to issue an order declaring a three-week holiday for schools from October 12 to 30 in view of the reports that several teachers have been infected by COVID-19." This order came following the Primary and Secondary Education Department’s decision to suspend the Vidyagama scheme on Saturday. The scheme was designed for children in rural areas, under which their teachers could teach them in public spaces as schools were shut. However, it was shut down after reports that 34 students came down with COVID-19 in Belagavi and Kalaburagi districts. 

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