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Neha Pushkarna | TNN

New Delhi: Concerned about children getting exposed to the heat wave, Delhi’s directorate of education (DoE) has advised private schools in the city to break for summer vacations from May 1 or 2. Though it’s up to individual institutions to decide on the issue, several schools announced on Thursday that they were advancing the summer break, at least for the primary classes, keeping the health of their students in mind.
DPS RK Puram said it was closing its primary section at East of Kailash for summer break from Friday and DPS Vasant Kunj announced suspension of primary classes from May 4. Birla Vidya Niketan at Pushp Vihar will close from May 9 instead of May 14, while at Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, May 6 will be the last working day. Springdales School, Pusa Road will break for vacations from May 9.
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New Delhi: In the wake of DoE advising private schools to break for summer vacations from May 1 or 2, schools which have not yet decided on re-scheduling their holidays insist that enough precautions are being taken to shield the students from the heat. Madhulika Sen, principal, Tagore International School, said, ‘‘We are not allowing students to go to the playground in the games period. They are being given indoor games instead. These days students do not have resistance to extreme weather since they always stay in airconditioned rooms and eat junk food.’’
Some schools are also changing their timings and shortening the morning assembly in view of the heat. Col Ramesh Laddha, director, Birla Vidya Niketan, said, ‘‘We now have the school assembly only three days a week at 7.30 in the morning. We have also planned to stop the games period as a short-term measure as it is really hot these days.’’
At DPS, Gurgaon, the day ends at 11.30am instead of 1pm these days to protect children from the midday heat. ‘‘However, there are no plans to prepone the summer vacation which are anyway starting on May 6 for junior classes and on May 15 for higher classes,’’ said principal Aditi Mishra.
Shyama Chona, principal, DPS R K Puram, said, ‘‘We have already closed the primary section. The summer vacations for the senior classes will also begin as early as possible. We have to adjust the number of working days before making an announcement regarding that.’’ The school was originally closing for vacations on May 15. More schools are likely to decide on advancing the summer vacations on Friday after they receive DoE’s notification. R C Shekhar, director, Gyan Bharati, Saket, said, ‘‘We have some unit tests lined up. So we still have to decide if we need to close down before May 15.’’ L V Sehgal, principal, Bal Bharti School, Ganga Ram Hospital Marg, also said that the school will wait for a couple of days before deciding on changing the vacation dates. ‘‘We may start the holidays early if the weather conditions do not improve. But nothing is decided,’’ Sehgal said.
(With inputs from Sumi Sukanya)