Tamil Nadu cancels Christmas holidays for schools to complete syllabus: Report

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu has decided to cancel the half-yearly holidays for schools this year. The Tamil Nadu government has taken this decision to finish the syllabus, reported the DT Next.

The holidays were supposed to begin from Christmas to new year right after the half-yearly examination 2021-22 as per usual practice. But it has been cancelled due to the delayed reopening of schools. Even quarterly and half-yearly exams 2021 were cancelled owing to the heavy rains and the Diwali celebrations.

Tamil Nadu schools reopened for Classes 1 to 8 on November 1 after the COVID-19 induced shutdown. But it was again closed on November 27 owing to the heavy rains.

"TN schools were not functioning for one week due to Diwali celebrations. Apart from that, the heavy downpour during Tamil Nadu rains resulted in the government calling off three weeks of classes. Hence, the schools were helpless and could not keep track of the portions according to time," a senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next.

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According to the official, in case requests from stakeholders arise, the holidays may be given to the middle school students. The teachers have to cover the chapters within a short period of time as the government is holding revision tests very soon for Class 10 to Class 12 students. "Those who do not score well in the revision test will be provided special training for the final board exam," he reportedly said.

He further said that there is also a chance of even the Pongal 2021 holidays getting affected as the government is determined to finish the portions, conduct the revision teast and board exams well in time.