The state government on Friday informed the Karnataka High Court that the expert committee will submit its report on the issue of conducting online classes to children on Monday.
A division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Nataraj Rangaswamy is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the ban imposed by the state government on conducting online classes.
Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadgi submitted to the court that the expert committee on technology-enabled education has completed deliberations and is likely to submit the report on Monday. Navadgi stated that the state government will take a decision on conducting online classes once the report is submitted.
Appearing for the schools, senior advocate Uday Holla submitted that the state government had no authority to ban online classes under Section 7 of the Karnataka Education Act.
He said more particularly the state has no jurisdiction to ban online classes at schools imparting education under CBSE and ICSE curricula. He said even the Union Home Ministry’s guidelines released after Unlock-2 stated that though schools and colleges would remain closed, online and distance learning is permitted and shall be continued.
"All across the world online classes are going on. Unicef is not only supporting online classes during the pandemic but has also come out with plan for continuity of learning with emphasis on online classes. Kerala state itself is conducting online classes. In our state a survey had been conducted and overwhelming majority of parents preferred online classes for the children,’’ he argued. The division bench adjourned the hearing to Monday.