Amid scorching heat, clamour for short summer break in school
Srinagar, Aug 23: In the midst of a blistering heat wave in Kashmir, parents of school-going children have demanded that summer vacation be declared in educational institutions up to the higher secondary level.
Kashmir is experiencing searing heat, with temperatures climbing beyond 34 degrees Celsius.
The excessive heat is causing challenges for children attending school, particularly those in lower grades.
Parents said that the children were experiencing hassles in classrooms as the temperatures rose with each passing day and at the same time educational institutions and transportation were not completely outfitted with necessary provisions to tackle the heat wave prevalent in Kashmir.
They said that students in primary schools were the hardest affected by the extreme heat wave.
“With the rising temperature, we appeal to the authorities in the Education Department to close schools for at least one week so that students can get some relief from the heat,” said Nasir Ahmad, a parent.
The daytime temperature has risen sharply in recent days, accompanied by heavy humidity, making it difficult for the students to go to school.
Though the government had earlier announced summer break in June for upto 12th grade, scorching heat in Kashmir has made it difficult for kids to concentrate on their studies.
Given the increase in everyday temperatures, parents say students in the school are finding it difficult to stand the heat, which can be harmful to their health.
“Students these days get deadly exhausted in the early hours in schools and later complain of headaches and other ailments while returning home,” a school teacher said.
The parents demanded that the School Education Department accept their request and proclaim one-week summer holidays for schools, which might be extended based on the temperature in Kashmir.
“The department should not postpone the decision because prompt action can benefit students,” they said.
However, Principal Secretary School Education Department, Alok Kumar said, “Currently there is no proposal to announce a short summer break.”
Since the start of the summer season in Kashmir, severe heat wave conditions have been regularly observed.
On Tuesday, the temperature in Srinagar reached 34.6 degrees Celsius.
This year, J&K saw early and unusually warm temperatures in May and June.
The hottest months were May through July.
Although a huge portion of north and central India experiences heat wave in May every year, the maximum temperatures have been abnormally high in sections of Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir (Greater Kashmir)
