Physical classes for students of Classes 1 to 8 resumed after a gap of over 20 months.
The schools closed down in March last as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
Teachers of many government schools in Tiruchi city made an effort to make the day memorable for the children and gave them a warm welcome.
With rain expected over the next few days, and the upcoming Deepavali, teachers were unsure of the students' attendance but were happy with the turnout. About 70% students returned to the schools, while the rest are expected to attend after Deepavali, officials said.
The School Education Department has instructed teachers to engage students in activities such as singing and dancing for a period of two weeks before regular learning begins. School managements have been requested to divide the students into groups and conduct physical classes on alternate days.
At Subbiah Memorial Middle School at Tennur, students offered prayers and broke 108 coconuts before entering the school. “At 8.30 a.m., there was no sign of any student. The sky was overcast and I presumed that they would not come and went to my office. However, by 9 a.m., at least 75% of the students had arrived,” K.S. Jeevanandhan, headmaster told The Hindu.
In a similar way, K. Asha Devi, headmistress at Panchayat Union Middle School, Pirattiyur, who recently bagged the National Award for Teachers given by the Union Ministry of Educatio, arranged for crowns and garlands for all her students. Drums and music were also arranged to welcome the students with song and dance.
“I was feeling bored at home, and was not able to meet my friends as I had to stay with my grandparents in my village. I am happy that the school has reopened,” R. Sarathi Sree, a student, said.
Parents too were happy to drop their children at the schools. “They were restless at home. Children this age need to learn social behaviour,” a parent said.
Admissions to government schools across the district has increased. At the Corporation Middle School in Subramaniapuram, the admissions had risen to 240, from 80 last year. “Students from private schools in the locality have enrolled their children here. We believe that we can provide the students with education on par with them,” a teacher at the school said.
Teachers have been instructed to ensure that the students wear masks at all times. Schools have been instructed to stock up on additional masks and keep sanitisers in every classroom while ensuring that social distancing is maintained between the students.
Thanjavur, Tiruvarur
Regular schooling for students from class 1 to 8 in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts commenced on a happy note with declaration of partial and full day holiday for schools on November 1.
Students in Thanjavur district were overjoyed with double treat of a warm welcome with sweets when then entered their institutions and the subsequent announcement of holiday in the afternoon.
The reopening of schools in Tiruvarur too began on a similar note with the district administration declaring a holiday for schools in view of inclement weather.
Meanwhile, enquiry revealed that a moderate turnout was recorded in schools in Thanjavur district presumably due to School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi’s recent statement that parents were free to send their children to the schools on the reopening day or after the Deepavali festivities were over since insistence of strict attendance was not viable during the pandemic period.
The elected representatives of the ruling party welcomed the students at select schools in their constituencies by distributing sweets and wishing them a good academic year.
Inspecting the reopening of schools, Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver exhorted the school authorities to educate the students about the pandemic situation and ensure that the COVID-19 SoP was adhered to without fail in classrooms and as well as on the school premises.
A group of 35 students of the Panchayat Union Primary School at Panancheri in Peravurani taluk received a VIP welcome at their school on Monday.
Shawls were presented to them by the Headmaster, Veera. Chandrasekaran in addition to sweets and balloons.
Earlier, a parent of a school student dressed as Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar went to the residences of other students in the village along with a group of teachers and parent-teacher association members and and invited the students to attend their schools.