Chennai, August 18 (BPNS)

The Tamil Nadu government would take a decision to reopen classes IX to XII on August 20, Friday. The state school education minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had in a meeting with the Chief Educational Officers of the state and other officials with the education, department elucidated their views on the reopening of higher classes in schools.

The minsters office in a statement said that a final decision on the reopening of higher classes would be taken by the Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, and by Friday the government would announce whether the classes would open from September 1 or there is a postponement on the same.

The Chief Minister has also called upon the state health minister and the  feedback from all the district collectors and the district medical officers are being taken before a final decision is announced.

State health minister Ma Subramanian while speaking to bpNS said, “The state health department has its own views regarding the reopening of schools and we are providing proper data regarding the pandemic and based on our inputs as well as the feedback from the District collectors and district health officers, the Chief Minister would take a decision on the reopening of schools for students of higher classes.”

Sources in the state public health department told IANS that the department has given all the inputs regarding the pandemic, possibility of the spread if schools are opened, even at a very low level, and the chances of the third wave and even the micro-level details regarding the disease and its spread.

With pressure mounting from several corners regarding the reopening of schools, the possibility of announcing the opening of schools from September 1 is high.