Strict COVID-19 protocol welcomes students of class 10,12 in TN

After a gap of 10 months,schools were reopened for classes 10 and 12 in Tamil Nadu onTuesday with students undergoing body temperature and oxygenlevel checks before entering the premises.

The Tamil Nadu government last week announced reopeningof schools from January 19 which were shut following theCOVID-19 outbreak since March 2020 while Chief Minister KPalaniswami appealed to parents and teachers to extend theirfull cooperation to the government in its efforts aimed at thewelfare of students.

With the government directing schooladministration to allow students not exceeding more than 25per classroom, those who attended the classes were seenadhering to all COVID-19 protocol including wearing masks andmaintaining social distancing.

After being glued to monitors for online classesover the past few months, students today expressed happinesson being able to attend classes in person, meet friends andteachers, and prepare better for the board examinations.

''Instead of attending classes online, it wasgood to come and attend classes besides meeting our friendsand teachers.Attending classes will also help us preparebetter for the board examinations,'' a student of a governmenthigher secondary school in Tiruchirappalli said.

School authorities also followed governmenetguidelines like allowing only those students who had come withthe 'letter of consent' from their respective parentsbesides checking body temperature and also providing vitamintablets to the pupils.

Palaniswami, while allowing the students toattend classes, had said based on the opinion of public healthand medical experts, district collectors, senior ministers andconsidering the view of majority of parents, schools shallopen only for students of classes 10 and 12.

The move to reopen the schools wasalso considered based on the interests of those who would betaking up public examinations during March and April.

Tamil Nadu government last year withdrew itsdecision to reopen schools for classes 9 to 12 from November16, 2020 due to apprehensions over COVID-19 and afterconsultations with experts in the field.