TIRUCHY: Schools should not conduct special classes during holidays, as vacations are meant for students to rest and recover mentally, Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said on Tuesday.

“Holidays are for students’ mental rejuvenation. Special classes during leave days will only put mental pressure on children,” he said, adding that the instruction must be strictly followed.

The Minister was speaking to reporters after attending a function organised in Tiruchy to mark the birthday of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, during which awards were presented to school teachers and college professors for excellence in education.

Highlighting infrastructure development in the education sector, Anbil Mahesh said that 7,898 new classrooms are currently being constructed across Tamil Nadu.

Dilapidated school buildings are being demolished in phases and, until new structures are ready, students are being accommodated in community halls or rented buildings to ensure that classes are not disrupted.

On school safety, he said tenders would soon be floated for government schools, while private schools have been directed to install CCTV cameras. Despite financial constraints, the State government continues to prioritise spending on education, he added.

Referring to the proposed indefinite protest by JACTO-GEO from January 6, the Minister said discussions had already been held with representatives. “The Chief Minister will announce good news for government employees before January 6,” he said, while reiterating that the Centre continues to deny education funds due to Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Responding to questions on Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit aimed at strengthening the NDA, Anbil Mahesh said the DMK’s real competition was not the Opposition. “Our only competition is to improve our own schemes further under the Dravidian Model 2.0,” he said.