For the past week, P. Nivetha has been struggling to get her 8-year-old son Akshay to study for his exams. His school had been shut for over two weeks, and water entered his house, and his street in Mogappair was inundated.
Now, with the Chief Minister’s announcement postponing the examinations until January, parents and students are heaving a sigh of relief.
“Although my son was attending tuitions wherever possible, we were still worried about the exams, which were due to start on December 7,” she said.
According to officials from the School Education Department, many of the students were unable to focus on their lessons because of the damage to their houses. “We decided not to take a hasty decision with the postponement of the exams, and we will conduct it only when the schools reopen after the Christmas break,” he said.
Since the rains started in the beginning of November, schools in Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram have had only three to four working days.
Schools have welcomed the decision to postpone the exams. “Many schools have not yet completed portions for most classes, and when the schools opened last week, we managed to conduct a couple of mid-term tests,” a school Principal said.
According to Joshua Johnson, Principal, Government Muslim School on Mount Road, government schools still have a couple of units left in classes X and XII syllabus. “Unlike private schools, government schools typically finish portions in the beginning of December. We have not had classes since November, and still have to complete one or two units in each subject,” he said.
Many students could not focus on studies because of
their houses were damaged
