Schools and HEIs in Tamil Nadu reopen, students elated to be back to classrooms

After a long wait, schools and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Tamil Nadu were reopened today with students and teachers enthusiastically attended the classes by following all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

During the first phase, the schools were opened for the students studying from Class IX to Class XII, and the universities and colleges were allowed to conduct classes for the existing students.

While the management of all the schools including private institutions have ensured that all the teaching staff, who take classes, should have got at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccination and the vice-chancellors and principals of universities and colleges respectively have instructed their students that they should have inoculated at least one dose.

"Most of the students have attended the classes. We have followed strict guidelines to ensure the safety of the students. We have also ensured that all the teachers were vaccinated", RC Saraswathi, headmistress of Government Girls HSS in Ashok Nagar in Chennai told DT NEXT. She said that only 20 students were allowed in the class according to the guidelines.

Tamil Nadu Teachers Association president P K Ilamaran, who is also a teacher in a government high school in Kodungaiyur, said that almost all the students have come to the schools with parents dropping them. "Apart from strictly adopting SOPs, counselling was also given to the students to allay the fears of the pandemic situation", he added.

Inspecting Anna University campus, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi said health camps have been organised in all the colleges so that students can be vaccinated. "All the students, who want to attend the classes, will be vaccinated", he said adding "students, who do not want to attend classes due to fear, he could attend online classes, which will be conducted daily".

However, Dr.P. Murugakoothan, principal C Kandaswami Naidu College for Men in the city said "we are not conducting classes. As per the government order, we have conducted only vaccination camp for our students. Today around 350 second-year students will be vaccinated and tomorrow about 300 third year candidates will be inoculated".

"We have followed all the SOPs that were issued by the government. Practical classes were also conducted for Science students. Classes were conducted on a rotation basis", Dr. S.Kothai, principal of Ethiraj College for Women in the city said. She claimed that most of the students have enthusiastically participated in the classes. "Even professors too were very eager to meet their students", she added.