Cold wave offers respite: Delhi schools reopen

Updated on: Thursday, January 20, 2011

Putting an end to the extended vacation, the Delhi schools finally reopened on Monday. The schools were scheduled to re-open on January 3 after the usual winter break. However, the Delhi government extended their vacation till January 13 due to the intense cold wave. Running short on time, schools are planning extra classes for higher secondary classes, which are expected to eat into the students much-cherished weekends. For the last couple of years, both private and government schools in the capital have been extending their winter vacation on the orders of the education department to protect children from exposure to extreme cold.

The minimum temperature recorded in Delhi on Monday was 7.5 degrees Celsius, two notches below the average. An official from the city government's education department said,"Although the schools are reopened, the officials of the education department are concerned on how to complete the syllabus as exams will begin in March." Reena Sharma, a Class 10 teacher in a government school said,"We are following the government order but I am worried. To compensate for the loss of working days, we will function on all Saturdays for two months."

Parents also seem to be worried. "We don't know if their syllabus will be completed properly or rushed through before the exams," said Ram Sen, the father of a Class 10 student. "There is no point in making changes at the last moment as it throws the academic schedule out of gear. So, the education department should soon incorporate necessary changes at the beginning of the academic year itself," said Usha Ram, principal of the Laxman Public School in South Delhi.

Cold wave offers respite: Delhi schools reopen

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