BHUBANESWAR: Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari on Friday warned private schools of strict action if they violate the standard operating procedure (SOP) for summer by holding offline classes.
This warning came after a group of parents alleged that some private schools are keeping the campuses open and holding classes despite the government’s directive on closure of schools due to the heatwave. They further claimed the schools collected consent forms from students for holding offline classes.
Pujari said that any school or college found operating in violation of the SOPs will face strict disciplinary and legal action. He asked the private schools to show responsibility towards students’ safety and also appealed to people to ensure children, elderly and those with medical conditions do not step out of their homes unless necessary during the peak hours of 11 am to 3 pm.
The state government had announced closure of all educational institutions from April 23 in view of the intense heatwave situations.
Further, the Skill Development and Technical Education department has announced closure of technical institutions like technical universities, colleges, polytechnics and ITIs due to heatwave.