CHENNAI: For the first time after the outbreak of
Covid-19,
students returned to schools in
Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. Schools reopened for
Classes X and XII students.
Most schools followed Covid-19 norms and arranged hand sanitizers at the entrance. Schools allowed students after temperature checks and getting consent letters from their parents.
The entry of students was also staggered, allowing Class XII and Class X students at different timings. Since the classes have been split to maintain 25 students per room, teachers guided the students to their rooms.
Despite new normal, students in general were happy to return to schools. Bhuvana, a Class XII student in Ashok Nagar, said the she was looking forward to physical classes after months of online classes.
Kavitha, another Class XII student, said her parents were happy to send her to school after the number of Covid-19 cases came down.
Schools reported 60% to 90% attendance across the state on the first day of school.
MCC Higher Secondary School Chetpet saw 75% attendance among Class X students and 88% attendance among Class XII students.
"It’s a very good attendance for Day 1. Since the classes have been split into two to maintain 25 students per classroom, we have drafted more teachers and issued a fresh time-table," said GJ Manohar, principal of the school.
K John, headmaster of Thiru Vi Ka Higher Secondary School in Shenoy Nagar, said the school had overall 75% attendance in both classes X and XII.
Many teachers were confident of completing lessons before board exams following the 40% cut in lessons for board exams.
"Since students need to study only 60% of syllabus for board exams, we can prepare them," a teacher from Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar said.
Around 20 lakh students are studying in classes X and XII in across the state in all boards. Many CBSE schools said they would reopen on Wednesday.