HYDERABAD: In view of the rising mercury levels, the Telangana government has advanced the commencement of summer vacation for all schools. The vacation will now begin from today, that is April 20 instead of April 24, as announced earlier. Director of school education Dr G Kishan, issued orders to this effect on Wednesday.
The order stated that on the basis of feedback from district collectors and also considering and demands of the parents, summer vacation for all schools, government as well as private, would begin from Thursday.
The state has been reeling under intense heat wave conditions since Monday when Hyderabad recorded 43 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in a decade. On Wednesday too the mercury hovered around 42 degrees Celsius in the city. As many as seven people in the state have lost their lives to the searing heatwave.
Though parents are relieved with the government’s decision to advance the summer vacations by four days, not all schools seem to have taken the education department’s circular seriously.
Madhavi Suvarchala, is in a limbo as she hasn’t received any notification from her daughter’s school.
Though a few private schools had advanced their holidays and closed schools from April 16 onwards, a majority of state-affiliated and CBSE schools continued to function, the only allowance being school timings had been trimmed to four hours, from 8 am to 12 noon. Irate parents association and Telangana Private Teachers Association (TPTA) had even written to the government on April 12 demanding that summer holidays begin from mid-April.
Inter students may not get break
For students of private junior colleges, on the other hand, even the possibility of a summer vacation looks bleak. Though the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) had officially announced vacation for intermediate colleges from March 29 to May 31, corporate colleges, continue to hold classes.
As per the circular, principals of all private junior colleges and composite degree colleges were intimated not to conduct any special classes during the vacation.
“We are conducting regular recce of junior colleges and those found functioning are closed and slapped with notices and warning. Parents are also intimated not to send their children to colleges,” said Krupakar Reddy of BIE.
Colleges deny claim
M Uma Shankar, the national IIT coordinator of Sri Chaitanya Group, refuted the claims that regular class are being held. “Classes are being held only for the outgoing batches who are preparing for competitive exams like Engineering Common Entrance Test (ECET) which is on May 6, National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) on May 7 and EACET on May 12,” he said.
Child Right’s organisation, Balala Hakula Sanagam has condemned the college authorities for violating the BIE directive and rights of students.
“By denying them the right to destress and unwind they are hampering their psychological well-being,” said Achyutha Rao, BHS president.
Meanwhile, students who were forced to put up with the sweltering heat in classrooms in Karimnagar collectivelly heaved a sigh of relief. The Education Department has declared that vacation shall commence from Thursday.