Schools call summer break early amid heat
NEW DELHI: With the temperature breaching 49 degrees Celsius (°C) in some parts on Sunday, and the city in the grip of a severe heatwave, a majority of private schools in Delhi have brought forward their summer vacations, while some have switched to online classes till they break for the holidays later this week.
On Sunday, all 11 weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures above 45°C, while Mungeshpur and Najafgarh (in south-east Delhi) recorded temperatures above 49°C. The soaring mercury has parents worried about the wellbeing of their children, prompting several schools to advance their summer vacation by a few days, particularly for children in the primary classes.
Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini, said their vacation was slated to begin on May 21 (Saturday), but in view of the heat, the summer vacation was declared for students from nursery to class from Sunday (May 15). Students in classes 4 and 5 will have online classes till Friday (May 20) after which the vacations will commence, she said.
“For children in classes 6 to 9, we need to hold an investiture ceremony on Thursday, after which will proceed on their summer break,” Arora said.
The school is planning to cut classes by an hour for senior students, she added.
Tania Joshi, principal of The Indian School, said the school was planning to start the vacation from May 18 (Wednesday) for children of primary classes, instead of May 22 (Sunday). “While the school will hold extra classes for students in the senior grades, the duration of these classes will be two hours. “Parents have been complaining about the heat after Sunday, but the attendance has not suffered because of it,” said Joshi.
Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka, said they will decide on advancing the summer break on Tuesday.
Government schoolteachers have also sought a suspension of activity in schools on account of the heat, even their summer vacation began on May 11 and will continue till June 27. But during these months, schools was planning to hold teachinglearning activities and catch-up classes, as part of summer camps, for students of classes 3-9 till June 15.
Ajay Veer Singh, general secretary of Government School Teachers’ Association (GSTA), said with the temperature touching 49°C in some parts of Delhi on Sunday, closure of schools was needed. “In such a situation, students’ education should not be considered more important than their life. The government should close all schools with immediate effect,” said Singh.