Ever since the pandemic started throwing all conventional modes of education out of the window, many activists have demanded a ‘zero year’. Many have said that students are under immense stress and with the pandemic getting worse and schools remaining shut, the demand for a ‘zero year’ only grew louder. Various surveys showed that parents didn’t mind if their children missed a year as long as they didn’t risk their lives by going to school. However, the Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Association feels at this point there is no chance of it being turned into a zero year.

Students have been attending online classes since June and the government began to broadcast classes for those who didn’t have access to digital gadgets, the teachers reason. “Teachers are also teaching on social media, shooting videos on YouTube, they are also in touch with students over phone calls. Of course, physical classrooms are the best but teachers have been working very hard to reach their students,” the teachers pointed out. “They have also been preparing the older students for their board exams and even conducting tests’,” the statement said.

“In this situation, how can we consider this year as a ‘zero year’? The academic year starts from June and goes on till April, considering that, we have another four months. Zero Year will make the students’ lives more difficult. Sitting in the same class the following year could be perceived as a failure. It will create stress and depress these students. In the future, higher studies and job prospects will also get narrowed down,” the Association urged.