Network issues in K’taka affect education; Chief Minister urged to talk to telecom operators

Primary & Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Monday requested chief minister BS Yediyurappa to convene a meeting of telecom operators and request them to beef up network coverage in rural Karnataka as schools have scaled up online teaching in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, but children have not been able to make full use of it due to serious network issues.

Children in hilly regions across Chikmagalur, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Chikmagalur, Udupi, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts have to walk long distances to hilltops where telecom signals are available to attend classes. These signals too are weak, and children have to battle monsoon rains while attending classes, the education minister said in a letter.