Summer vacation in schools, colleges from May 2: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed the School Education department to prepone the summer vacation and close down schools from May 2, owing to the intense heat conditions prevailing in the state.

Within hours after Banerjee's instruction, the Principal Secretary of the Education department issued a notification that the summer holidays will be from May 2 till June 15, except for the schools in Darjeeling and Kalimpong where the existing academic schedule may continue until further orders.

"We are experiencing intense summer heat and students are facing great discomfort in going to schools amidst such hot weather. I will ask the Education department to start the summer holidays from May 2, if possible. You can also request the private schools to take similar measures," Banerjee said at the administrative review meeting at Nabanna Sabhaghar.

She maintained that as per predictions, the number of fresh Covid cases may also go up, similar to what was happening in other states, and so the move of closing down schools will also contribute to curbing the spread of the virus. "Vaccination for children can go on in full swing during this time," the Chief Minister added.

Due to excessive heat and sultry weather accompanied by heatwaves in most of the South Bengal districts, many students have reportedly fallen ill in the last few days.

The schedule of summer holidays usually starts from the third week of May and continues till the middle of June. But for the last few years, the summer holidays have been preponed in the state due to intense heat conditions.

Education minister Bratya Basu on Tuesday held a meeting with senior officials of his department and had hinted at preponing the summer vacations in schools.

"The Higher Secondary examinations have ended but Class XI practical examinations are scheduled to start from April 29. It is not possible to conclude practicals in two days — April 29 and 30 (with May 1 being a holiday). Besides this, the first summative examination in most schools is slated to start on May 2 and continue till May 7. So considering this, it would have been better if the closure was announced after May 7," Sougata Basu, general secretary of West Bengal Government School Teachers' Association said.