BHUBANESWAR : KEEPING in view the ongoing heatwave condition, the School and Mass Education department has scheduled morning classes from 6.30 am to 10.30 am for all schools - government, aided and private - across the state beginning Friday.
The move comes following a direction from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. A letter in this connection was issued to all district collectors on Thursday. All schools have been asked to ensure availability of drinking water and to repair tubewells wherever required to ensure supply of potable water to children.
This apart, they have been asked to keep ORS packets ready to be given to students and staff whenever required. “Outdoor activities have to be restricted to prevent students from getting exposed to extreme heat,” the department stated.
SME secretary Shalini Pandit asked the collectors to ensure parents are sensitised about the situation so that they send their wards with water bottles to school. “Schools may also be advised to spare some time to share precautionary tips on heatwave with the students,” she stated.
The collectors have also been asked to keep a close watch on the weather for further modification in school timing, if needed.
Reviewing the state’s preparedness for heatwave recently, the chief minister had asked the department to immediately revise school timing and issue guidelines to effectively deal with the situation.
Recently, the state government had also revised timing of anganwadi centres from 7 am to 9 am to prevent children from visiting the centres during peak heat.