Chennai schools reopen today, but with no textbooks

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Schools across Tamilnadu would be reopening on Wednesday but without textbooks for students except those in Class I and VI.

The peculiar situation has arisen because of the Supreme Court appointing an expert committee to go into the textbooks prepared under the uniform school system.

The school education minister, Mr C.Ve.Shanmugam, said schools would be reopened as scheduled and classes would be conducted using the 'child centered bridge courses’ introduced by the government.

M. Shanmugam assured that free textbooks would be distributed on the completion of the new module. he asked the school managements not to create confusion and urged them to teach students using bridge courses.

Mr Shanmugam also appealed to the students and parents not to be worried about the situation since the government of Ms Jayalalithaa was committed to provide quality education to students.

He said the new courses would help the students to think on their own instead of merely memorising things. Sources said the uniform education system would come into force this year itself in all classes.

Matriculation school managements also have to wait for the textbooks to be approved by the expert panel and the court.

“Fundamentals in science, mathematics and language could be taught till the HC passes a final order,” said Mr N. Vijayan, correspondent of Zion matriculation higher secondary school, Selaiyur and member of the uniform schooling board.

Another matriculation school administrator said that they had already procured old syllabi textbooks and students.

But this kind of extended holiday will affect studies. It would be difficult to teach all lessons within this academic year.