Bengaluru: Amid fears of a looming Covid third wave, the state government has permitted to start offline classes for 9th to 12th standard from August 23. 

After meeting with Covid management expert committee members here on Friday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that, after consulting with expert committee members and officials of the education department, the government has taken a decision to start offline classes for 9, 10, 10 and 2th standard students in two batches. 

Offline classes for high school and PUC students are allowed to be conducted for alternative days in two batches, the detailed order will be issued in this regard, Mr. Bommai said. 

After assessing covid situations and positivity rate, the government will take a decision to whether to allow offline classes for primary and secondary school students or not, Mr. Bommai said and added that the decision of allowing off-line classes after taking into consideration of decisions taken by other states. 

Weekend curfew in border districts: Due to the steep increase in covid cases in Kerala and Maharashtra, the government has decided to impose a weekend curfew in border districts of Kerala and Maharashtra. Chamarajanagara, Kodagu, Belagavi, Kalaburgi, Bidar, Vijayapura, Dakshina Kannada will have a weekend curfew. 

The government has also extended the night curfew from 9 pm to 5 pm. Earlier night, curfew was imposed from 10 pm to 5 pm, the Chief Minister said and that police have directed to implement week end and night curfew in letter and spirt.. Covid task forces will be reconstituted within two days. 

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