5-Day Break for students from online classes in Tamil Nadu from September 21

Talking about the sudden break, School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said a brief vacation has been planned for the school students to help reduce their stress.

The Tamil Nadu Government on September 9, 2020, announced that there would be a five-day break for the students from online classes starting September 21 to reduce their stress and help them refresh. The decision came in a respite to school students attending online classes in the state. Talking about the sudden break, School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said a brief vacation has been planned for the school students to help reduce their stress. "On normal occasions, students are provided quarterly and half-yearly holidays. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools had to switch to the online mode of teaching. With Chief Minister K Palaniswami's consent, online classes and telecast of video lessons on television channels will not be conducted from September 21 to 25," he said.

Speaking to reporters in Gobichettipalayam, the Education Minister said this vacation for students would help them refresh. The minister further added that all the schools, including private institutions, would be monitored by block-level officers to check whether classes are conducted during these five days. On the Centre's standard operating procedures (SOP) for partial reopening of schools for students of Classes 9 to 12, Mr Sengottaiyan stated consultation would be done after the COVID-19 situation improves in Tamil Nadu. On September 5, the government had directed the schools not to compel students to attend online classes.

Commissioner of School Education Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan wrote to all Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) in the state directing them not to compel students to attend online classes. Teachers have also been asked to ensure all students, who have been absent from online sessions, are suitably coached and brought on par with other students when the schools reopen.

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