Vidyagama programme halted after COVID cases reported among teachers and students in Belagavi

After six teachers and 25 children recently tested positive in Timmapur and surrounding villages of Ramdurg taluk,  the Government of Karnataka along with the Primary and Secondary Education Department have announced that the Vidyagama programme will be stopped for the time being. 

Suresh Kumar S, Primary and Secondary Education Minister wrote on his Facebook page, "Vidyagama programme will be stopped for time being as a lot of teachers and parents have expressed their concern towards coming in contact with the virus. The government will be collecting data on the number of cases in each district and taluk. After analysing this data, we will arrive on a decision whether the Vidyagama classes have to be conducted or not."

The Vidyagama programme was designed specially for children whose parents were labours and could not afford to buy phones, television or any other form of electronic gadgets. Every day, at least 15-20 kids gathered either in temples, wedding hall, parks and even some private house where the front yard was huge and teachers would conduct these classes. Though there were enough measures taken to conduct these classes, COVID positive cases were reported.