Tamil Nadu schools to remain closed until October 31, Andhra schools to reopen on November 2

The schools in Tamil Nadu will be closed at least until October 31. At the same time, the schools in Andhra Pradesh will start functioning from November 2.

Putting to rest speculation on reopening of schools, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy said the GO issued on September 24, for allowing students of Classes 10 to 12 to come to their schools from October 1, is being withheld. This issue would be reviewed at an appropriate time in the coming days. 

On the other hand, the Andhra Pradesh government had earlier said the academic year would begin from October 5, but decided to postpone the starting date due to the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the government will go ahead with Jagananna Vidya Kanuka on October 5.

Speaking during the Spandana videoconference here on Tuesday, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the reopening of schools will be postponed keeping in view the number of Covid-19 cases in the State. 

“Though we haven’t received guidelines for the next phase of ‘unlock’ from the Centre, it looks highly unlikely that schools will be permitted to start regular classes. The Chief Minister has instructed schools to postpone resumption of classes to November 2,” Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh said.

He added that if the Centre lets the State government decide on reopening schools in a phased manner, “we are prepared to start regular classes for senior students, whose doubt-solving classes are already on. We can gradually start regular classes for junior students too.”

Though regular classes will not resume till November 2, the students’ kits will be distributed on October 5 as scheduled under the Vidya Kanuka scheme. Each kit consists of cloth for three pairs of uniform, textbooks, notebooks, a pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a belt and a school bag.