"Online classes are not mandatory for school children", announces TN School Education Commissioner

Its been more than 5 months, since the educational institutions in the State have been shut due to the pandemic situation. However after much ado, schools were permitted to conduct online classes for the students. While government schools have opted for "Kalvi Tholaikatchi" and pre-recorded sessions, the private players stick to online classes. They also ensure that the students attend the online classes and conduct assessment exams too, virtually.

There arose concerns from parents and politicos, as few students were not able to afford laptops or high ended mobile phones, finding it difficult to attend the virtual classes. There were few untoward incidents reported too.

After considering the rise in complaints, the Commissioner of School Education, Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan IAS, has announced that no school would compel the students to attend the online classes. Further he said, the staff shouldn't consider the attendance of the students for internal grading and also the schools barred the to conduct online assessments. He also directed the schools to appoint an special education councellor to monitor the online sessions.

Further adding, Sigy Thomas said that the schools will have to conduct special classes for those students who missed to attend the online sessions, once the school re-opens. He warned against the schools who force the economically behind students, to attend their online classes. The Commissioner further said the respective Chief Educational Officers will ensure that the schools in their districts will abide these Government norms and guidelines while conducting online classes.

In is to considered that Tamil Nadu Education Minister Sengottaiyan had also said that his department would take stern action against the schools that force the parents to remit full fee. He also said “We already had instructed all schools through chief educational officers in their respective districts in connection with forced fee collection. The department has set up a separate cell to lodge complaint against the schools which do so".