Winter Woes: Delhi Schools to Remain Closed for Three Days

Delhi schools to remain shut for three days – 21-23 January – due to the severe winter season.

A smoggy day in Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

The Delhi government has directed the schools run by it to suspend primary classes for three days in the wake of the chilly weather in the national capital and has directed private schools to alter their timings.

While private schools have been asked to amend their timings themselves, directions have been issued to government schools to start an hour past their regular time after these three days. 

<p>Government has suspended primary classes for the next three days in wake of the chilly weather. Besides, we have also issued an advisory to the private schools in this regard.</p>

<b>Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister, Delhi</b>

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has sent a communication to schools directing them to make the amendments in schedule and timing.

<p>Due to the ongoing cold weather and the forecast that the temperature may dip further, it has been decided that primary classes (class KG to V) will remain suspended from 21-23 January.</p>

<b>Directorate of Education Circular</b>

The morning and general shifts will also start an hour late and wrap up an hour earlier. Private unaided schools are also advised to change their timings.

While the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has notified that the schools run by the three corporations will remain closed during the period, the schools operated by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will remain open.

Chilly conditions prevailed in Delhi on Wednesday as the temperature touched season’s lowest at 15.1 degrees Celsius.

Five notches below the normal, 19 January was the coldest day of the season.

People walk past the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India on Wednesday evening, 13 January 2016. (Photo: AP)

Days Lost During the Academic Year

On 19 January, the Noida and Ghaziabad administration had ordered closure of schools for two days in wake of the intense cold wave.

The private school associations are, however, concerned about the 15 days lost during the academic year due to the odd-even trial.

Also read: Odd-Even Trial a Success, Will Bring it Back, Promises Kejriwal

The government had also on Tuesday directed schools to observe a minimum of 222 working days in an academic year.

People in Delhi warm themselves on a cold winter night of December 2010. (Photo: iStockphoto)

<p>It will be upto the respective schools to take a decision in this regard whether to suspend classes or not but I personally feel this is a difficult situation if schools have to be closed every now and then. What if the winter season prolongs? Examinations are knocking on the students’ door and I believe they should be prepared to face the rough and tough situation. </p>

<b>SK Bhattacharya, President of Action Committee for Unaided Recognised Schools</b>

The Action Committee for Unaided Recognised Schools has over 400 reputed schools as its members.