According to a senior official from the School Education Department, virtual sessions could not be conducted as most of the students do not have internet connection. So, the State-run educational channel, Kalvi Tholaikatchi, was considered to be online classes for government school students till now. 

“It would be impossible to conduct online classes for government students even in urban areas. So the School Education Department has asked the kids who do not want to come to schools amid the pandemic to watch the TV channel to continue their studies,” said PK Ilamaran, president, TN Teachers’ Association. 

The government has assured that it would take care of the students’ safety. Therefore, there are no other options,” he added. 

KR Nandhakumar, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Private Nursery, Primary, Matriculation, Higher Secondary, and CBSE Schools’ Association, added that all private schools would not be able to conduct online classes along with physical mode. 

Pointing out that teachers were conducting online classes using their mobile phones, he said, “Mobile phones cannot be used during the physical classes for virtual sessions as the resolution will be poor.” 

Expressing concern over the direction to conduct online classes, too, Nandhakumar said government should allay the fears of parents. 

Ruling out conducting online classes along with the physical sessions, S Arumainathan, president, TN Parents-Teachers Welfare Association said most parents want to send their wards to school without any delay. “There is no other option for parents other than sending their kids to schools,” he said.