NEW DELHI: While we all love our summer vacation, the West Bengal government’s decision to extend the summer vacation for both primary and secondary boards evokes only mixed reactions from teachers, parents and even the students.
Bengal’s School Education Department extended the summer vacation keeping in mind the heatwave condition prevailing in the state. In a notice, the department said, “As reports of a few death cases due to heat and humidity have been received, the competent authority has decided to extend the summer vacation till 26th June 2022 or until further instructions whichever is earlier…”
Only the Himalayan districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong have been exempted from the department’s decision. These two districts will continue with their existing academic schedule until further order.
When The New Indian contacted the stakeholders for opinion, the state government’s decision evoked a mixed reaction.
Nita Bose, whose son studies in a government school in class 6 in central Kolkata said, “I welcome the decision. The heatwave is extreme and people are suffering. Going to school, attending classes and meeting friends all are important but not at the cost of his health. Not going to school does not mean he will not study at home.”
But many parents and teachers are of the opinion that the extended vacation will only affect the learning process, which is already disrupted by COVID, of children.
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Saswati Dasgupta, whose daughter studies in class 4 in a private school in the posh Salt Lake area, said that heatwave conditions are always there. She opined that COVID had already affected the development of children and extending the vacation will only affect the children more.
“We want the schools to open. The students have already lost two years of their school lives. My daughter wants to go to school, she has become impulsive. Covid had affected them psychologically. Socialising is important for their overall growth,” Dasgupta said.
A high school teacher from a village on the outskirts of Kolkata took a practical view of the situation.
“It is a fact that we are going through a period of heatwave. However, there is a curious mismatch between the decision and practical manifestation. With the rising mercury, there is a need for alternative strategies. We could have opted for morning classes, regular classes for higher classes and one or two days for junior classes. Closing the doors of the classes is no way a solution,” said the teacher on condition of anonymity.
“Most of the schools (govt) are situated in rural settings. From personal experience I can say that in those places (rural) it becomes more convenient to stay in school because of the modern amenities which they get in schools,” the teacher said.
Taking a philosophical view, the teacher added, “It is said that ‘adversity brings the best out of a man’. We should strive for that and not the opposite.”
In May, the West Bengal school education department issued a letter declaring early summer vacation from May 2 to June 15 following a similar heatwave condition.