The Minister offered worship at Lord Murugan Temple in Tiruchendur, Thoothukudi district on Tuesday and said standard guidelines to follow on reopening will be issued soon.

The Minister further said that based on the outcomes of consultations, which Chief Minister MK Stalin had with health experts, it had been decided to reopen physical classes for students of Classes 9 to 12 from September 1 with 50 per cent attendance. The Chief Minister had also insisted on adopting COVID precautionary measures in the interest of students, he added.

On the guidelines for reopening of schools, the department staff are contemplating whether to make any further announcement. However, it would be finalised in another two days and Chief Educational officers would be informed accordingly, he told reporters.

Further, he said 85 per cent of fees could be collected from parents of students in private schools and it has been lessened to 75 per cent for students, whose parents were affected by COVID. Even, if the 75 per cent of school fee is not affordable, then schools could form committees and consider exempting them from paying the fee completely.

He also added that the government has come up with a draft to reduce syllabus which would come into effect soon. Owing to economic conditions post COVID, several students joined government schools and until last week, 2, 04,379 students were enrolled additionally, the Minister added.