With the number of COVID-19 cases steadily rising in Chennai, DMK president M.K. Stalin on Monday demanded that the State government cancel the Class 10 public examination as it would put the lives of young students at risk.
In a statement, Mr. Stalin said that Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s government had failed to take adequate precautions to control the spread of COVID-19.
“By being adamant on conducting the Class 10 public examination, the State government is playing with the lives of students,” said Mr. Stalin.
Mr. Stalin said that the examinations could be held after students and parents were convinced that there was no health risks and normalcy had returned in Tamil Nadu.
“The State government’s daily announcements show that babies, young children and youth are also being affected by COVID-19. In this scenario, educationists and medical professionals have pointed out that conducting Class 10 examinations not just puts students at risk, but their parents, families and their siblings too at risk of contracting the disease,” said Mr. Stalin.
Mr. Stalin said that the number of cases was rising despite the State government not testing enough samples every day. “The number of cases in Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai has transformed it into a city that scares the entire State. Every day, thousands of people are being affected. In many cases, the ‘primary source’ of infection cannot be ascertained and medical experts have said that Chennai has entered the ‘community transmission’ phase,” he said.
He added that the State government’s announcements, such as that it would operate buses to collect hall tickets and others, would only facilitate the spread of COVID-19. “Online classes prescribed by the State government puts rural students at a huge disadvantage,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said that while the State government had failed in its administration, it was showing great urgency to test whether the students pass or fail. “It only shows that the State government doesn’t care,” he said.