CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court on Monday directed the state to publish widely in the newspapers to inform parents, teachers associations, private schools and colleges on the ongoing litigation the court is presently hearing.
The court said this was to make sure that all the stakeholders will come forward to present their views to the court in the matter.
A division bench of MM Sundresh and R Hemalatha issued the directions while hearing the plea filed by petitioners seeking guidelines for online classes conducted by educational institutions.
According to the petitioners, parents are forced to expose the children to smartphones and other similar gadgets with uninterrupted internet connectivity. The said exposure of young minds to smartphones
and internet connectivity is hazardous to their physical health and also mental development submitted the petitioners.
The petitioners contended that online classes and the government order should touch all the students including the government school children who are at a disadvantage.
The state government contended that the detailed guidelines for the online classes have been provided and is currently being implemented in all private schools and colleges.
Each of the classes has been given the time duration of classes and also other modalities in holding them, the state contended at the court.
However, the counsel for the petitioners argued that the guidelines framed by the state are practically impossible to be followed by schools and colleges.
The guidelines will also pose a disadvantage to several government school children where educational programmes are just being broadcasted through the television.
The court orally observed that there requires to be a level playing field in the framing of guidelines as some of the students are technologically disadvantaged.
The court recording the submissions made by the petitioners directed the state to issue wide publicity on the newspapers to inform the parents-teachers associations, school and colleges on the online
classes petition underway at the court. The court sought to hear all the stakeholders in the case and adjourned the plea to August 19.