West Bengal govt tells schools to bring summer vacation forward – Times of India

KOLKATA: Schools, colleges and universities in the state are set to declare an early summer vacation from May 2 following an appeal by chief minister Mamata Banerjee in the wake of the intense heat and humidity in the city. While she announced the closure of state-run schools, colleges and universities, private institutions are also expected to pay heed to the request given the extreme weather conditions in which several students are taking will.
“Children can’t bear this heat. It has come to my knowledge that several students have complained of bleeding from the nose. Let the summer vacation start from May 2. I also urge private schools to follow the same,” she told state education department’s principal secretary Manish Jain while addressing an administrative meeting at Nabanna on Wednesday.
The chief minister added that the early closure will serve two purposes: save children from the heat and keep them safe from the fresh wave of Covid-19. “A Covid wave is also likely to come during this period. So, we can check that as well,” she said.
By late evening, the school education department had issued the circular stating: “Due to heat wave and prevailing situation, it is advised to declare summer vacation in the schools under your administrative control with effect from May 2 to June 15, 2022, or until further instructions.”
Private schools said they would need some time to come to a decision. CISCE has said they have no objection to schools preponing their summer vacation to May 2. Online classes have been suggested as an option
“In case the prevailing weather condition continues or worsens, advancement of summer break is an alternative we will think of. No decision has been made yet,” said South Point School trustee Krishna Damani.
Sri Shikshayatan Foundation general secretary Bratati Bhattacharya said they had already curtailed class timings and are organizing hybrid classes where children need to come to school only twice or thrice a week. “There are some additional holidays as well in the coming week. We will take all necessary measures to ensure children are safe and comfortable,” she said.
Some schools like Birla High School said they will hold a meeting on Thursday and take a decision. “We are an exam centre. With the CBSE exams on, our students are anyways attending classes online. But we will consider the CM’s proposal,” said Birla High principal Loveleen Saigal.
St Xavier’s Collegiate School principal Fr M Thamacin Arulappan said: “We will definitely consider the CM’s suggestion as the heat is a serious concern. At this moment, our summer holidays are set to begin from May 13.”
Government schools said they will follow the CM’s proposal. “The summer holidays were scheduled to start from May 26. If an order is given by the government, we will surely comply,” said Jodhpur Park Boys’ School headmaster Amit Sen Mazumdar.
However, there are concerns over how the truncated classes will affect studies. Saugata Basu, the general secretary of West Bengal Government School Teachers’ Association, voiced the need for at least five extra days to complete the exams and related formalities.
The CM’s announcement came at a time when many schools like Calcutta Girls High School, La Martinere For Boys, St James School, DPS Ruby Park, Ruby Park Public School, Don Bosco Park Circus and Ram Mohan Mission have already brought forward the dispersal timings for junior students.
Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee, VC of Calcutta University, said she was waiting for an advisory from the higher education department. Jadavpur University pro-VC Samanta Das said: “We will decide on the matter only after we receive the advisory.”