Back to school with lighter load for now

PUDUCHERRY: Schools reopened in Pondy and Karaikal on Wednesday, with teachers and students having to contend with nonavailability of textbooks. Probably the latter did not mind, as they were probably still getting back their bearings after a long vacation but the education department might not have been as sanguine.   Director of school education, Paneerselvam, said officials of school education department had approached the Tamil Nadu Textbook Corporation officials at the Cuddalore godown for the textbooks. “We have already made the payment. But we are yet to receive the books,’’ he said.Puducherry and Karaikal regions of the UT have been following the Tamil Nadu Board of Education and use the same textbooks also.Asked about the date for the arrival of textbooks, Paneerselvam said that it would be known only after a couple of days. Till such time that they received the textbooks, students had to probably do some revision.It may be recalled that the Supreme Court order directing continuance of uniform system of education for classes I and VI created uncertainty, caused by the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to defer it.But the TN government has asked the schools to follow the activity-based learning (ABL) till the textbooks for Classes II to V and VII to X are made available.