Decision For Classes I-VIII Will Be Based On Experts Input , Says Tamil Nadu School Education Minister

On Wednesday, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, School Education Minister said that in a conference that was chaired by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to review COVID-19 lockdown initiatives at the end of next monththat a judgement on restarting schools for Classes I to VIII would be made based on analysis produced by medical experts and the Department of Public Health.

Recently, the School Education Department submitted a report that reflected the views of the Chief Educational Officers. According to the Minister, one portion of CEOs was in favour of restoring physical education classes for Classes I to VIII, whereas another portion was in support of restoring them for Classes VI to VIII.

In light of the increased incidence of COVID-19 cases, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court instructed the State administration to file a response in a PIL petition demanding a direction to the State to cease physical classes in schools.

Justices M. Duraiswamy and K. Murali Shankar of the Division Bench asked the State to respond to the petition filed by Tirunelveli resident K. Abdul Vahabudeen. The same petitioner had previously requested that the State continue to offer online classes.

He stated that COVID-19 cases have been on the upsurge within students and teachers ever since restarting of schools for Classes IX to XII.

Amidst this, physical education lessons continued. The government's directives to schools on the maximum number of students allowed in a class were not being followed. As a result, physical education classes should be discontinued, according to the petitioner.

Meanwhile, the judges were looking for a response to the petition. During the session, the judges informed the petitioner's counsel that the State had indeed emphasized that the students were not obliged to take physical classes and that they could continue to visit classes online.