‘Survey revealed parents want schools to reopen soon’

After the Centre framed guidelines for beginning academic and classroom sessions for students from Classes 9 to 12, several private school managements had declared their own schedule to reopen even without getting the nod from the State government. They then asked all teachers to collect feedback from parents in this regard.

KR Nandhakumar, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation, Higher Secondary, and CBSE Schools Association, claimed more than 90 per cent of parents wanted schools to reopen at the earliest.

“Most of them are willing to send the children if the schools reopen, provided all the precautionary measures are taken to ensure students’ safety,” he said, adding that the feedback would be sent to the authorities. Pointing out that several states have announced reopening of schools, he said Tamil Nadu government, too, should consider it.

However, a senior official from the School Education Department said the school managements were worried about a large number of students migrating to government and government-aided schools or the private institutions that charge lower fee.

“The expert committee that was constituted to look into the academic loss has already submitted its report to the government on school reopening,” he said, adding that private schools do not have the power to take any decision based on the parents’ feedback.

The official added said strict action would be taken, including cancelling their recognition, if any management attempted to reopen the school without permission from the government.