After summer vacation and postponement of the reopening due to unpleasant weather conditions, the educational institutions commenced their new academic year on Monday.
As many as 1,859 schools, including primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools and those run by the Corporation and private institutions, were opened after nearly 83 days of holiday.
School Education Department officials said that they had reviewed the cleaning and upkeep of the buildings a week ago. The government and aided-school teachers said that on the first day of the reopening, the students were given free textbooks.
Chief Education Officer L. Rejini said that students were welcomed with flowers and chocolates by teachers in many schools. The students too had come very early to their schools. About a fortnight ago, the buses and vans operated by the schools to pick up and drop the children were screened by the RTO as per the government directive.
Minister Geetha Jeevan commenced the breakfast scheme for the qualified children at a corporation school in Toovipuram and inspected the kitchen where the preparations were held. On the first day, the students were served pongal, the officials said.
In Sivanthakulam Corporation School, Mayor N.P. Jagan welcomed the children with flowers and chocolates. Traffic congestion was experienced in many intersections in the morning and evening due to the reopening of schools.
