The Tamil Nadu Teachers' Association (TNTA) has taken the state government's announcement of re-opening schools from September 1 with a pinch of salt. Even as the association welcomes the decision, they have demanded that the schools need to function on alternative days for students from Class 1-8 to also return to campus.
Among other things, the TNTA has demanded that students from Class 6-12 need to be provided free laptops or tablets as digital education would continue if the schools shut again, in the event of a third wave of COVID. On a similar line, the association has asked for at least one "smart classroom" in all the government schools.
Following the sexual harassment allegations that rocked Chennai schools a couple of months ago. "The government should design new secure software to regulate and monitor online classes," the statement read. The teachers said that the curriculum needs to be reduced by 20 per cent in the interest of students.
Speaking to Edexlive earlier, several teachers had said that the schools would be complete only when children are back for physical classes. Chennai’s Presidency Girls School headmistress, Rajalaxmi MM had said, "I will feel happy only when children are allowed to come to school." As of now, schools in Tamil Nadu are open but only for the teaching staff to conduct classes from the school premises.
