After parents’ opposition, govt drops move to reopen schools

After parents’ opposition, govt drops move to reopen schools

Colleges For PG Students From Dec 2

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.11.2020

The state government on Thursday decided to postpone the reopening of schools for Classes IX to XII after most parents opposed the decision fearing the pandemic. Scrapping its earlier order allowing schools and hostels to reopen from November 16, the state government said it will announce the reopening date later depending on the situation.

The government had conducted parents’ meet in more than 12,000 schools across the state on November 9 to get their opinion on reopening of schools.

“In some schools, parents wanted to reopen the schools, while in others, they wanted to postpone it considering the safety of their children. Considering both the views, the order allowing schools and hostels to reopen from November 16 stands cancelled ,” a release from the state government said. The state government has also suspended the move to reopen colleges on November 16.

Parents meet was held in 12,000 schools across TN on November 9

Free breakfast in Pondy schools

Puducherry government on Thursday launched a free breakfast scheme for school students named after former TN chief minister M Karunanidhi. The scheme will benefit more than 80,000 students in 419 government and aided schools in the UT. It will initially cover nearly 10,000 students in 106 schools that have reopened. P 8

Online classes to continue for college students: Govt

Based on UGC guidelines, it allowed classes to resume for research scholars and final-year PG students of science and technology courses in colleges and universities starting December 2.

Hostels will be allowed in these colleges. The date for reopening of colleges for other classes will be announced later. Online classes would continue for other students, it said Welcoming the decision to postpone the reopening of schools, school managements asked the state government to immediately release the details of prioritized and optional syllabus for state board students. “It is a good decision respecting the parents’ views. But the school education department should release the 40% portions omitted this year so we can focus on lessons that would be valid for the exams,” said B Purushothaman, senior principal, Everwin Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kolathur. He pointed out that CBSE had released the details of the lessons dropped for Class X and XII.

Instead of chopping the portions, the school education departmentsplitthesyllabusfrom ClassItoXIIintotwo prioritized syllabus and optional syllabus. Students have to self-study portions under optional category.

“Teachers are struggling to complete the portions for lower classes due to just two online classes per day,” said N Vijayan, senior principal, Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Tambaram. Many schools have completed around 70% of lessons through online classes. “But, conducting assessment is a big problem. The state government should allow schools to reopen in a phased manner starting with Class XII in December,” said GJ Manohar, principal, MCC Higher Secondary School in Chetpet.

Colleges also welcomed the move to reopen with research scholars and postgraduate students. “Postgraduate students need to come to college for practicals and conducting experiments. We plan to conduct semester examsfrom December 5. After that, we will accommodate the students,” said Thomas Amirtham of Loyola College.

“Our college has 300 to 400 students and it will not be a problem to maintain social distance among PG students and research scholars,” said MG Ragunathan of Guru Nanak College.