According to ANI, the state government in its latest update said that all government, government-aided and private schools in Odisha will remain closed for summer vacation from April 27.The government clarified that with regular classes closed, pre-scheduled examinations, census-related work and other official duties will continue as usual.
The decision will be made after the assessment of the heat wave.
The decision comes a day after the state government indicated that it is considering extending summer vacations due to rising temperatures. According to Times of India, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said that a final decision will be taken soon after assessing the heat wave situation.He had said that many districts are recording temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, from which no immediate relief is expected. A meeting was also held with the Special Relief Commissioner and officials of School and Mass Education Department and Higher Education Department to review the situation.
Due to rising temperatures, the normal schedule was pushed back.
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond had earlier said that the usual summer vacation is from May 6 to June 17. However, he added that the dates may be pushed forward given the heat conditions.There was also a discussion on closing the Anganwadi centers if the situation worsened. In such cases, children will be provided with take-home ration instead.
District level initiatives are already in place.
Some steps had already been taken at the district level. In Kharda, schools and anganwadi centers were asked to operate from 6.30 am to 9.30 am to avoid peak summer hours. Due to heatwave in Dhenkanal, all government and private educational institutions including Anganwadis were closed till further orders.
Similar initiatives have been seen in other states.
Similar initiatives are being seen in other states as well. In Rajasthan, the district administration has revised school timings due to the heatwave alert. India Meteorological Department (IMD). In Kota, schools now run from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm, while in Jaipur, the timings for younger students have been changed to morning hours to reduce exposure to extreme heat.Officials in Rajasthan have said that temperatures have crossed 40 degrees Celsius in several districts and are expected to rise further in the coming days. Officials have warned schools to strictly adhere to the revised timings, with possible action under the Disaster Management Act 2005 in case of violation.The early closure of schools in Odisha reflects a similar concern, as authorities try to limit students’ exposure to harsh weather conditions.
