Students Received WarmWelcome While Getting Back To Offline Schools After A Long Gap Due To Pandemic

On Wednesday, students in grades 9 through 12 returned to school after the Tamil Nadu government announced that senior classes will resume. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools had been closed for months, and only online programmes were available. Campuses rigorously regulated the norms that are needed to follow for the pandemic as issued by the government includewearing masks, temperature checks, and upholding physical separation rules, amid other safety measures.

Teachers at the Government Hobart Higher Secondary School gave students new notebooks and chocolate as a part of the welcoming event. Students' temperatures were taken and recorded as they arrived at school, and teachers reminded them to use hand sanitizers and masks at all times. Students began arriving around 8 a.m. in Chennai schools. Teachers were placed both outside and inside, near the school gates, as it was the first day, advising both children and parents on the safety rules to be observed.

S. Kanmani, the headmistress, reported that all of their teaching and non-teaching employees had been vaccinated and they divided a few parts into two groups and only allowed 20 pupils per classroom. While, after a long gap of notattending offline classes, many students were relieved to be back at school. Several students of senior classesat Chennai High School in Kottur expressed her excitement for physical education lessons and meeting her friends.

Following the government's announcement that schools can continue to use alternative modes of instruction, some local schools have devised a plan for online sessions to be held concurrently. They also had some students whose parents moved out of Chennai due to job losses during the pandemic. They were doing online classes and will continue to do so till they are able to return to Kottur, according to Maheshwari Kalpana, headmistress of Chennai High School.

Despite some concern, most kids and parents were eager to return to physical education classes after a long absence. As several instances were recorded when a lot of children were not able o afford it as it needs smartphones as well as a good network.