Schools in TN to remain shut govt puts reopening plan on hold

Chennai, Nov 12 (PTI) Days after seeking the views of
parents, Tamil Nadu government on Thursday reversed its move
to reopen schools from November 16 for classes 9-12 and said
they shall continue to remain closed.
While colleges were also earlier scheduled to function
from November 16 , the government said colleges and varsities
shall reopen from December 2 only for research scholars and
final year postgraduate students of science and technology
streams.
"The opening of colleges for all other courses will be
announced later," the government said in an official release
adding hostels would be opened only for those students who
shall resume studies from next month.
Disclosing the outcome of state-wide consultations held
with parents of private, government and aided schools on
November 9 on starting classes for the 2020-21 academic year
for higher standards, the government said the opinion was
divided.
Parents of some schools wanted the institutions
to reopen, but others were against such a move in view of the
coronavirus pandemic and the school education department
analysed the opnions holistically, the release said.
"The order on reopening schools from November 16 for
classes 9-12 is cancelled. An announcement on reopening
schools will be made later based on the situation," the
government said based on the feedback received from parents.
After Chief Minister K Palaniswami said on October 31
that schools and colleges would be allowed to reopen from
November 16, DMK president M K Stalin hit out at the
government for its "hasty" announcement.
The leader of the opposition had said that a decision on
reopening schools should be taken only in January 2021 after
analysing the pandemic scenario.
A section of parents also expressed apprehension over
starting classes for 9-12 since the pandemic had not faded
yet and extent to which students could adhere to measures
against the spread of virus in schools.
As on November 11, a total of 7,50,409 people had tested
positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu out of which 7,20,339
recovered. While 18,655 was the number of active cases, the
death toll stood at 11,415. PTI VGN
ROH ROH

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)