<p> In a respite to school students attending online classes in the state, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday announced there would be a five-day break for them starting September 21 to reduce their stress and help them refresh.</p>.<p>School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said a brief vacation has been planned for the school students to help reduce their stress.</p>.<p>"On normal occasions, students are provided quarterly and half-yearly holidays. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools had to switch to online mode of teaching. With Chief Minister K Palaniswami's consent, online classes and telecast of video lessons on television channels will not be conducted from September 21 to 25," he said.</p>.<p>Speaking to reporters in Gobichettipalayam, he said this vacation for students would help them refresh.</p>.<p>All the schools, including private institutions, would be monitored by block-level officers to check whether classes are conducted during these five days, the Minister added.</p>.<p>On the Centre's standard operating procedures (SOP) for partial re-opening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12, Sengottaiyan said the consultation would be done after the Covid-19 situation improves in Tamil Nadu.</p>.<p>On Saturday, the government had directed the schools not to compel students to attend online classes.</p>.<p>Commissioner of School Education Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan wrote to all Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) in the state directing them not to compel students to attend online classes.</p>.<p>Teachers have also been asked to ensure all students, who have been absent from online sessions, are suitably coached and brought on par with other students when the schools reopen.</p>
<p> In a respite to school students attending online classes in the state, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday announced there would be a five-day break for them starting September 21 to reduce their stress and help them refresh.</p>.<p>School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said a brief vacation has been planned for the school students to help reduce their stress.</p>.<p>"On normal occasions, students are provided quarterly and half-yearly holidays. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools had to switch to online mode of teaching. With Chief Minister K Palaniswami's consent, online classes and telecast of video lessons on television channels will not be conducted from September 21 to 25," he said.</p>.<p>Speaking to reporters in Gobichettipalayam, he said this vacation for students would help them refresh.</p>.<p>All the schools, including private institutions, would be monitored by block-level officers to check whether classes are conducted during these five days, the Minister added.</p>.<p>On the Centre's standard operating procedures (SOP) for partial re-opening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12, Sengottaiyan said the consultation would be done after the Covid-19 situation improves in Tamil Nadu.</p>.<p>On Saturday, the government had directed the schools not to compel students to attend online classes.</p>.<p>Commissioner of School Education Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan wrote to all Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) in the state directing them not to compel students to attend online classes.</p>.<p>Teachers have also been asked to ensure all students, who have been absent from online sessions, are suitably coached and brought on par with other students when the schools reopen.</p>