Incessant rains in Karnataka have resulted in one of the worst floods that the state has ever witnessed. Students have missed out more than a week’s class and lost their valuable documents.
In some respite to the students, the Department of Public instructions (DPI) has announced that students who have lost their certificate to the flood can be admitted to any school in the state without the requirement of documents. The move was to make sure that there are no dropouts caused due to the floods.
Due to waterlogging, scores of students have lost crucial documents such as SSLC marks cards, birth certificate, Aadhaar cards, etc. One of the officials from DPI told The Hindu that from the proposed move, students from 18 districts will be benefited.
The department has also issued a circular asking the officials to survey the school buildings after the flood water recedes. Karnataka Text Book society has also been asked to distribute books to the students who have lost them.
Top officials at DPI told The New Indian Express that the missed classes will be compensated by full working day on Saturday. The official further said that if the flood-like situation persists then Sunday will also be used to take classes. DPI has also instructed school authorities to hold additional classes for students who missed classes due to their absentee because of damaged roads and bridges.
K G Jagadeesh, Commissioner of Public Instruction, said that decisions regarding education at a time of disaster are decentralised. He said that autonomy has been given to school headmasters and block education officers for primary and high schools to compensate on the lost days.
Teachers from the flood-hit districts are instructed to inform student’s parent on how to maintain the health of their child. Headmaster/mistress of the school are directed to ask parents to not send their sick children to schools.
Currently, more than 400 schools in various districts of Karnataka are turned into relief centres. The Karnataka Chief Minister – B.S Yediyurappa has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each family which has lost house due to landslides and floods.
