Mangaluru’s persistent rains have led the district administration to declare extended holidays, pushing many schools to shift to online classes. However, some institutions have chosen not to adopt this mode, citing concerns from parents about excessive screen time for children.
Since the start of the academic year, continuous rain has resulted in holidays ranging from seven to ten days in various taluks. To maintain educational continuity, some private schools have moved to online learning. A parent mentioned, “A school in Kulai has been conducting online classes for the past four days, including Saturday.”
Contrarily, several schools have opted out of online classes. Sister Melissa, principal of Mount Carmel Central School, stated that parents requested not to proceed with online learning due to concerns about their children getting too much screen time. “Parents are against online classes as they believe children get glued to gadgets. We will conduct full-day classes on Saturdays to compensate for the missed days,” Melissa said.
The Belthangady BEO limits have announced ten days of holidays, requiring full-day classes on all Saturdays for nearly five months to make up for the lost time. “We are figuring out ways to cover the syllabus,” said Tarakesari, BEO (in-charge), Belthangady.
Parents of high school and PU college students expressed concerns about the additional burden on children who attend JEE, NEET, and SSLC coaching on weekends. “Weekend classes will be tough for those already engaged in tuitions,” they noted.