Bengaluru: S. Suresh Kumar, Karnataka's primary and secondary education minister on Wednesday said that online classes for students between lower kindergarten (LKG) and fifth grade shall be banned with immediate effect in the state.Kumar said in a statement that the government arrived at the decision after meeting with educational experts, mental health professionals, representatives of private institutions and other stakeholders.The decision to ban online classes amid pandemic comes after complaints by parents and guardians about the increased strain and impact on the health of young children due to additional screen time.Several schools have ad opted online classes in order not to fall behind in syllabus.