Tamil Nadu will not Employ Shift- Model for Schools that Reopen: Education Minister

Vinod Kakumanu
Sept. 29, 2020, 5:03 p.m.

The government of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has clarified its position on one specific modality of school opening. The education minister of the state stated that the schools that reopen will start all the classes simultaneously and will not be opening in shifts. Shift based opening has been suggested by many as a risk-reduction technique for schools.

One more important aspect of the announcement is that the phased opening of the schools across states has also been ruled out. The schools, if and when they will open, will do so simultaneously after the pandemic situation is fairly contained.

According to the Minister, the schools will open simultaneously across the state and will conduct classes not in shifts but simultaneously. He explained his position by saying that all the schools have adequate space and infrastructure necessary for maintaining social distance and conducting classes.

It is notable that like all other states and union territories, Tamil Nadu has also locked the schools down in March and they remain shut till date. The state has tried to minimize academic loss by imparting education through TV channel, while the unaided private schools switched to online teaching-learning.

The state had, on recommendation of the expert committee, has directed the curtailment of the syllabus by 40 percent for the 2020-21 academic year.

Another committee headed by Commissioner of School Education, Mr. Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan has been constituted to recommend the direction of the implementation of the center’s New Education Policy.