Trivandrum collector’s sudden holiday declaration draws flak

This is the second time in the same month the collector made the announcement at the last minute.
Two persons walk amid heavy rain at Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram. The district received a rainfall of 64 millimetres on Friday | B P Deepu
Two persons walk amid heavy rain at Thampanoor in Thiruvananthapuram. The district received a rainfall of 64 millimetres on Friday | B P Deepu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The sudden announcement of holiday for schools and professional colleges on Friday morning in the wake of incessant rain invited sharp criticism from the public. District Collector Navjot Khosa declared a holiday at 7.35am.  By then, many school and college students had reached their educational institutions. 

This is the second time in the same month the collector made the announcement at the last minute. Many college students took to the social media against the collector’s action as the district had been receiving rain over the previous 24 hours. Interestingly, the collector announced the holiday through her official Facebook page. Expectedly, the page was flooded with comments, mostly from college students, criticising the timing of the announcement.

One comment goes like this: “Ma’am, do you have any serious problems? Everyone left the house and pity again to see such nonsense from your esteemed position.”  Another comment from a parent of a school student pointed out that 8am is not the right time to declare a holiday.  “Kids are on the way to school... what a great declaration,” the parent commented.

A college student remarked: “We have reached the college even though it is heavy rain. In the morning only you had enlightenment regarding the situation? Very bad... we are all so frustrated.” Many schools, especially those following central syllabus, begin at 8am. Being a working day, the parents also went to offices after dropping their children off at schools. Due to the late announcement, many students, especially those in primary classes, had to remain in the school as their parents were at their workplaces. 

Girija R, a primary school teacher with a private school in the capital, said that many students in Classes I, II and III had to stay back, and the teachers were directed to look after them even though there were no classes. “When holidays are declared in the morning, we have no option but to remain in school till evening. Some parents came and took their children home after receiving the information through television and social media but the others had to stay here for a while,” she said. 

Collector Navjot Khosa was unavailable for comment. Saji Kumar S L, deputy collector in-charge of disaster management, told TNIE that the disaster management wing had declared only a yellow alert for Friday and hence the district administration did not make the holiday announcement on Thursday.

Holiday for schools in district today
T’Puram: District Collector Navjot Khosa has declared a holiday for schools and other educational institutions in the district on Saturday. The collector’s announcement was in the wake of the IMD issuing a heavy rain alert in the district. The collector stated that the holiday does not apply to public exams and other scheduled examinations.

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