Chennai: The Tamilnadu government tidat postponed the reopening of schools in the State. The new dates would be announced by the state government soon after assessing the Covid-19 situation. The means schools for classes 9 to 12 in the state would not reopen from 16 November, 2020, onwards.
Meanwhile for colleges, only final year students of post graduation and research courses in science and technology will have to attend physical classes.
The State has also cancelled its previous announcement giving permission for congregations of upto 100 persons for political, religious and cultural events.
According to sources, the Tamilnadu government took the ‘wait and watch’ approach, given the lack of mask hygiene and physical distancing observed ahead of the Deepavali festivities in shops and other public areas.
As many parents are opposed to reopening of schools, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami took a final call today, sources said.
The government noted that other countries are currently facing a second wave of the pandemic and that the State has to intensify measures to prevent a further spread of Covid-19.
The government further said that it received mixed responses on the opening of schools and colleges from 16 November. It has been hence decided to not open schools. But physical classes for final-year post-graduation and research students pursuing science and technology courses will begin from 2 December.
Before taking any final calls regarding the reopening of schools in She state, a meeting with parents and teachers of government schools, government-aided schools, and private schools was conducted on Monday.
DMK president MK Stalin also criticised the government and called the decision hasty after Palaniswami said on 31 October that schools and colleges would be allowed to reopen from 16 November.