School commute gets longer for Saidapet students

Chennai: Children of families being resettled from Saidapet to Ezhil Nagar in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam will start going to schools from  Monday after a hiatus post the floods.

“From tomorrow, I will be going to my school in Saidapet. Once I know how the teachers at this school (the school near my new home) are teaching, I will enroll here,” said S. Srinivas, a student of grade 11 at Government Model Higher Secondary School in Saidapet.

But Monday, the short walk to school will become a bus ride, as they will have to travel around 18 kilometers to their Saidapet schools. Though the students can get re-enrolled in the nearby government school, many will continue going to the old schools in Saidapet for this academic session. The education department has started re-enrollment of students from Saidapet to schools in the new areas.  

V. Santhi, assistant education officer, said: “For 70 students, admissions have been confirmed in the panchayat union school in Ezhil Nagar.”

But many parents are worried about commute affecting studies and routine.

K. Saravanan, a parent said: “Their classes start at 9 am and go on till 4 - 4:30 pm and till 5:30 pm for special classes. With travel taking almost an hour one way, how will they focus on studies?”

 “I am worried about the time it will take to travel. The syllabus has been finished but I am tense about the exams,” said Vanishree, a student of grade 10.

Her sister, G Devishree, added: “The process to get hall tickets for Board exams has already begun and we have been told that bus passes will be handed out.”

Like Vanishree, other students of grade 10 and 12 will continue to study in their old schools as the board exams are ahead. Many of the younger students are also not willing to get enrolled in the new school.

“I will be going to the new school  tomorrow onwards but all my friends will be going to Saidapet,” said G. Sandhya, a student of class 5.

While the children are happy about the new place in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam which houses evicted families across three floors, in two-room flats provided with supply of water and electricity, college-going students are worried about the time and travel expenses too.

Divya Babu, a student of Zoology said: “We have free bus passes from Saidapet to Mount Road but now it will cost additional '40 every day. It is going to be difficult.”

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