‘The psychological well-being of students is equally important’
The Hindu
School Education Department constantly reviewed the situation with CEOs. Health experts also felt students had developed resistance to the infection, says Minister
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to permit schools to resume in-person learning for Classes I-VIII from November 1 in view of the “drastic reduction” in the COVID-19 infection rate. Citing the view of the WHO on the psychological well-being of students, School Education Minister contends that school reopening would address the issue because schools remained closed for 18 months. “Parents of small children, who are fully vaccinated, can sit with them in the classroom and leave when they feel like leaving,” he said in an interview on Sunday. Edited excerpts:
The Chief Minister took the decision after taking into account the opinion of the Health Department, public health experts and Chief Educational Officers (CEOs). The School Education Department constantly reviewed the situation with the CEOs and we submitted a report, based on their opinion, to the Chief Minister. Health experts also felt that the students had developed resistance to the infection. Now, we have one month, and are using the period to prepare the schools for in-person learning. There will be a mass cleaning and sanitation programme to create a safe and clean environment and classrooms. Children who have attended only online classes for LKG and UKG are going to enter the classrooms for the first time. But we are not going to compel them to sit in the classrooms throughout the school hours. Parents, who are fully vaccinated, can sit with their children and leave the classroom if they are not comfortable.