Odisha Govt May Extend Summer Break For School Students If Heat Persists

Bhubaneswar: Amid the prevailing heatwave and slow progress of southwest monsoon, the Odisha government may decide to extend the ongoing summer vacation till weather conditions become favourable for school activities in the state.

Schools in the state are slated to reopen on June 18.

School and Mass education minister Nityananda Gond earlier told the media that the government may think of extending the summer vacation if weather condition does not improve. He said that health and safety of the children was the priority of his government and the earlier decision to reopen schools will be reviewed.

He added that the district administration may take a decision in this regard taking into account the weather condition in their respective areas.

The department is likely to hold a meeting to discuss this issue later in the day, sources said.

Odisha State Secondary Teachers’ Association (OSSTA) has also urged the minister to extend summer holidays by 3-4 days, considering that some schools have asbestos roof and are without proper water and electricity supply. “Most districts are recording 38-40 degree Celsius. To protect the students from being struck by heat, we have requested the minister to extend the summer break by a few days,” said OSSTA general secretary Ranjan Kumar Dash.

Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said that they are in regular touch with the national forecaster and a decision will be taken on the summer vacation by the minister and the secretary concerned after examining the weather forecast once the midday bulletin is released.

According to the India Meteorological Department, hot and humid weather is likely to persist in Odisha till June 19. Heatwave conditions also prevailed at isolated pockets in the state on June 16. It further added that conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of Odisha during the next 4 days.

Notably, the Uttar Pradesh government has extend the summer vacation in government primary and upper primary schools for classes 1 to 8, which come under the UP Basic Education Council (UP Basic Shiksha Parishad), until June 27.