Mangaluru: MLC and Congress leader Ivan D’Souza, on Friday, June 5, asked the state government to reconsider its decision to reopen the schools claiming that such a hasty decision would harm the small children.

Addressing the reporters at the District Congress Committee office on Friday, Ivan said, “Small children and people above the age of 60 are vulnerable to Covid-19. The decision to open primary schools now is hasty. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Education Minister Suresh Kumar must explain to the public why they have taken such a sudden decision.”

Ivan also speculated that the decision to open the schools must have been taken to please some private educational institutions. “Why else is the government in a hurry to reopen schools?” he asked and added that no parent is ready to ruin their child’s life.

Questioning the usefulness of providing instruction to the students via online mediums, the MLC said, “Only 20 per cent of the students’ parents have internet facilities and smartphones. The rest of the parents don’t have either smartphones or internet facility. How can online classes help students?”