School attendance: Udupi district leads in State

Udupi: Schools in Udupi district stood first at the State level in attendance of students from Classes 6 to 10 with the overall attendance on Tuesday touching 72% across all categories of schools.

The government allowed the reopening of schools to conduct Classes 6 to 8 in districts where the COVID-19 test positivity rate was less than 2%. Accordingly, classes have resumed in almost all districts except Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts.

On Monday, the attendance percentage for the state as a whole stood at 29.15 for standard 6, 28.05 for seventh standard and 23.22 percent for eighth standard. For Udupi district, the attendance was 59 percent for sixth standard, 67 percent for eighth standard, 51 percent for ninth standard and 57 percent for tenth standard, NH Nagur, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, said in a statement.

While, Udupi stood first, Chikkodi and Madhugiri education districts came second and third with 55% and 54% attendance respectively.

Nagur revealed that attendance is low in private schools and it is noted that many private schools have not started physical classes.

He further said instructions have been issued to block education officers to ensure that all the government, aided and private schools in the district start sixth to tenth standards immediately.

“Covid standard operating procedure should be followed when opening schools, Private schools not starting physical classes should be served with notices. Private schools cannot draft their own rules and run their schools,” he warned.