Erode — Confusion prevailed across Erode city and its surrounding areas on Saturday, October 24, 2026, when numerous private schools that had opened for the day abruptly declared a holiday at 8:30 a.m. and sent students back home. The sudden decision caught parents and children off guard, particularly because the weather in the city remained clear at the time.
While persistent rainfall continued through Saturday morning in select regions such as Thalavadi, Gobichettipalayam, and Sathyamangalam taluks, government schools stayed closed according to directives. Meanwhile, many private institutions in and around Erode city initially functioned as usual.
Shortly after classes were set to begin, parents began receiving text messages instructing them to retrieve their children because the institutions were shutting down in compliance with the district collector's orders. This abrupt shift created logistical hurdles for families who had just completed their morning drop-offs and for working parents forced to scramble for alternative arrangements.
Chief Educational Officer E. Manvizhi clarified that the collector's closure directive applied exclusively to private schools located within the Thalavadi taluk, where adverse weather conditions persisted. She explained that several private educational institutions in Erode city and its outskirts misinterpreted the directive as a district-wide mandate, resulting in the unnecessary dismissal of students.