Despite the Tamil Nadu government declaring a public holiday on Wednesday in view of the Nivar cyclone, violating the norms, government and private schools in Coimbatore have conducted online classes for the students as usual on Wednesday. Parents who were dissatisfied with the schools for conducting online class have urged the school education department officers to inquire the administrative officers and take legal action on them for violated government order.
A parent, requesting anonymity, said, "Teachers (of a CBSE school located on Siruvani Main Road) had called me on Wednesday morning and said that my daughter must attend the online test which was scheduled already, as per the school's direction. When I asked them about the government declaring public holiday on Wednesday, they could not answer me and cut the phone call suddenly. So, my daughter wrote the online test in the morning and afternoon session."
"During cyclone periods or rainy days, experts warn not to use mobile gadgets and television and other electronic items, citing chances of electrical shock. At least during such this time, private schools should stop conducting the online class and it should follow the government direction," he added. Not only private schools, but the Sulur government boys higher secondary school teachers have also conducted online class for class XII students.
Sources said that as per school headmaster instructions, teachers have conducted the subjects of Computer Science, History, Mathematics, Chemistry to students on Wednesday online. When contacted, headmaster KN Kumar said that he would look into the issue and apart from it, he did not receive any communication regarding leave from the top educational officers in the district.
A parent said that Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) school in Sulur had conducted online class to class IV students on Wednesday and the teacher taught Science subject. When contacted, KV school principal V Megeanathan denied parent allegation and said that he instructed the teacher not to conduct online classes. A government school headmaster said, "Though Tamil Nadu government has declared a holiday, the school education department should have sent a circular to schools directing them not to conduct online classes in view of Nivar cyclone through the Chief Educational Officers (CEOs). Yet, if any circular comes through the school education department, the headmaster will follow it. Otherwise, they will not follow. This is their nature."
When contacted, Coimbatore CEO P Usha said, "We have intimated to schools about the public holiday. We will inquire about the schools which have conducted online classes and conducted exams."
Repeated attempts to reach school education director S Kannappan went in vain
