Reopening Schools For Elementary To Middle-Level Classes Is On The Cards

With all the schools for the students from Class Nine to Class 12 is all set to re-open from September 1, the Tamil Nadu government moving another step forward to look into the possibilities of starting physical classes for students even in the elementary and middle levels.

The government's move to also open schools for the students from Class one to Class eight comes against the backdrop of several requests from the academicians.

Classes, especially for the students from elementary to middle level besides for pre-KG children, could not be conducted for more than one and half years due to COVID-19 first wave and second wave.

A senior official from the Directorate of Elementary Education on Sunday disclosed that there were several reports that online classes for elementary school children, which were conducted especially in private schools, were not successful as the students could not get the required knowledge in the subjects for their respective standards.

"Since the schools from the ninth standard to twelfth standard will be opened from Tuesday, the government will have series of discussions and meetings with the health officials and other stakeholders to work out all the feasibilities to open the institutions from elementary to middle level".

However, the official pointed out that the panel, which was constituted by the government, will take into consideration the functioning of classes for the students from Class IX and then authorities in the committee were expected to take a concrete decision for opening schools for the rest of the children studying in lower standards if everything goes well.

Appealing to the School Education Department to seriously consider reopening the schools also at the elementary level, Tamil Nadu Teachers Association President P K Ilamaran said "we have got reports across the State from the teachers, who had in touch with the parents, the children, who were promoted to Class one, Class two and Class three without conducting classes for more than one year, most of the students have forgotten the alphabets in Tamil and English".

He also claimed that more than 30 lakh children studying from Class one (primary) to Class VII (middle) studying in government and government-aided schools were severely affected due to the closure of schools as their education level came down drastically.

Echoing similar views of Ilamaran, KR Nandhakumar, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation, Higher Secondary, and CBSE Schools Association, also said that the online classes conducted by the self-financing institutions for the students studying from Class one to Class VIII were not successful as most of the children did not attend the virtual sessions.

"However, there is no doubt that the government is taking all the possible steps to solve the school education issues", he said adding "at the same time student's safety is also most important amid COVID-19 pandemic situation". He also expressed hope that the State government would take the right decision at right time with regard to the reopening of schools for the rest of the students.