PIL filed against long summer break in schools

kolkata: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Calcutta High Court in connection with the long duration of school summer vacation in the state.

The PIL, filed by Bengal Primary Teachers' Association, pointed out that schools have been closed for the last two years due to the Corona pandemic.

It further mentioned that the Bengal government has extended the summer vacation to 45 days following the scorching heat and rise in the temperature last week. It will affect the education provided to the students.

Last week, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed the School Education department to prepone the summer vacation and close down schools from May 2, owing to the intense heat conditions prevailing in the state.

A few hours after Banerjee's instructions, the Principal Secretary of the Education department issued a notification that summer holidays will be from May 2 till June 15, expect for the schools in Darjeeling and Kalimpong where existing academic schedule may continue until further orders.

Banerjee maintained that as per predictions, the COVID cases may also be reported and so the move of closing down schools will also contribute in curbing the spread of the disease.

The schedule of summer holidays usually starts from the third week of May and continues till the middle of June.

But for the last few years, the summer holidays have been preponed in the state due to the intense heat.