Tamil Nadu Schools Likely to Reopen From February 1 for Classes 10 to 12

Tamil Nadu Education Department is considering reopening of schools from February 1, however, students in classes 10 to 12 only will be allowed to attend the physical classes. Schools are being reopened in a phase-wise manner and Covid-19 protocols will remain put including social distancing, wearing masks, sanitization, vaccination of staff among others.

State Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Payyamozhi told reporters that in the next round of relaxations on Covid-19 restrictions, schools will be allowed to reopen. According to the latest orders schools were to remain shut till January 31. The exact dates of reopening and other details thereof will be announced after a review meeting between state officials.

There have been representations made on behalf of academics favouring in-person classes to curb the learning losses being faced by students. A group of parents have formed Parents Association for Child Education and Safety (PACES). The association too is making a case for sending students back to schools. Parents claim that the long closure of schools is leading to socio-emotional issues in students who have been locked in homes and glued to screens due to online classes.

Its been over 19 months that schools have been shut. Even when in-person classes were allowed, only upper-class were invited to schools. Direct classes were conducted only for students from class 10 to class 12, considering the board exams. Younger kids have been at home for the most part of the past two years. Schools were first shut in mid-March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit India.

As reported by News18.com earlier, Tamil Nadu will hold board exams for classes 10, 11, and 12 by May end. Board aspirants fall in the age group of vaccination eligible population as the government has rolled out a vaccination drive for teenagers between 15 to 18 years of age. Tamil Nadu government had earlier said that 100 per cent of students in government schools have received their first dose of vaccination.

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