Parents of school students in Odisha have stepped up their demands seeking preponement of the summer vacations for educational institutions, especially for schools in view of the intense summer heat situation.
Odisha government has curtailed the summer vacations in schools this year to a period of 11 days from June 6 to 16.
However, parents of students have demanded that the holidays should be rearranged to May instead of June even though the time period of the vacation period may remain the same.
The parents have alleged that since the heat condition in the State is on a boil with temperatures surging above 40 degrees in most parts of the State, it has become increasingly risky for kids to return from schools around noon despite morning classes. And with the hot weather only going to intensify in the coming week or two, the government should sincerely reconsider its decision.
By the time June arrives, the summer heat might have started losing its steam due to pre-monsoon showers, so summer vacation in the month of June does not make any sense, said Krushna Chandra Pati, a parent from Bhubaneswar.
Instead, he said that the government should announce vacation in the month of May to protect school children and students from suffering under the intense heatwave.