CHENNAI: The School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi urged the students to be responsible citizens and to concentrate on sports and other extracurricular activities with the same importance as academics, during the school reopening day on Monday here in the city.

Meanwhile, this year, as per the academic calendar released by the department, 19 Saturdays have been declared as working days.

Also, the total number of working days this academic year has been increased from 210 to 220.

For the new academic year 2024-25, the schools in Tamil Nadu reopened on June 10. For the first day, students were distributed essential items such as notebooks and textbooks.

In the State, among government and aided school students, 70.67 lakh students will get textbooks, 60.75 lakh students will get notebooks and 8.22 lakh students will get atlas.

And, as part of myriad welfare schemes to government school students, the State government has been giving 14 essential items to students every academic year.

These items include textbooks, notebooks, uniforms, footwear, school bag, crayons, colour pencils, geometry box, atlas, woollen sweaters, rain coats, socks and shoes and bus pass. Besides this, the government has been also distributing laptops, bicycles to students.