CHENNAI: After nearly six months of online classes, many students including freshers entered colleges for the first time on Monday. Several were glad to see their friends and said they found offline classes lively.
In schools which reopened for students of Classes IX and XI, there was 70% to 90% attendance, better compared to the day of reopening of students of Classes X and XII. While government colleges and some autonomous colleges reopened for first and second year students, the rest plan to reopen for them in the coming days.
S Srikantan of Mogappair said the experience of a physical class was awesome. “Online classes were boring. We have been dreaming about such classes for some time. I met all my classmates.” The college made sure students carried their own water, wore masks at all times and teachers conducted introductory sessions.
Akash G of Pammal said interacting with teachers and classmates was what he had missed. “I didn't even know some of my classmates' names. We were able to share ideas as there was more interaction.” Some are holding classes on alternate days, while others like Presidency College and Queen Mary’s College are following a shift system to avoid crowding.
“We have divided students into batches of arts and science groups and are holding classes in two shifts,” said Presidency College principal G Krishnan.
At Pachaiyappa’s College, which opened for second year students, there was more than 60% attendance. “We will allow first year students after semester exams in the last week of February,” said principal P Murugakoothan.
In schools, students of Classes XI and IX students returned after more than 10 months. “We had 90% attendance among Class XI students and 70% attendance among Class IX students,” said R C Saraswathi, headmistress of Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar.
Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tambaram recorded 80% attendance for Class IX students and 90% among Class XI students. Schools and teachers have reservations about conducting board exams for Class XI students. “They are lacking writing practice after a prolonged period of online classes,” a Class XII teacher said. Some private schools have sent representations to the government, requesting it to scrap Class XI board exams.