Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: WB Board for early summer vacation

WB Board for early summer vacation
================================================================================
NewsByte on 01 May, 2008 03:38:00
 
The rising mercury level and humidity, coupled with acute water crisis in the
state, has forced the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education to decide on
closing schools for summer holidays from May 9. It will be almost a week ahead
of the date decided earlier.
The decision comes a day before the schools begin their new session. "This is
actually a good decision taken by the board. With the rising temperature, it is
gradually becoming difficult for students to attend classes. We have also
received reports of students falling ill on their way to school under the
scorching sun," said Deepak Das, secretary of Government Teachers’
Association.
Earlier, the schools had decided to close down for the holidays around mid May.
The decision of the board will prepone the vacations in schools by a week. "The
decision might give temporary respite to the students, but it will probably
serve no purpose. As per the rules of the board, all schools can give only 65
holidays in a year. So, in most years, the summer vacations never exceed 20 or
25 days. This means the schools will re-open by end-May or the first week of
June. Will the temperature be any lower then?" asked Das.
At Hindu School, headmaster Shyam Narayan Bandopadhyay had earlier issued a
notice that summer holidays would begin from May 24. "Now we will have to start
the vacation earlier. However, the number of holidays will remain unchanged.
Apart from the circular issued by the board, we also need a recommendation from
the director of school education," he said.
"We have been forced to take a decision since the temperature is rising every
day and there is an acute water crisis in some regions of the state," said a
senior board official.