Summer vacation in schools to shorten

Kolkata: The state Education department is likely to shorten the duration of summer holidays in state schools. Though the department is yet to issue any fresh notification, sources in the department indicated that schools may open by June 10.

"I have held a meeting with the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and other concerned officials. We are reviewing our decision to have summer holidays in schools till June 30. We will also hold talks with the weather office and speak with the Chief Minister before bringing out any fresh notification in this regard," said state Education minister Partha Chatterjee.

Chatterjee said that there have been requests from students, a section of teachers and also guardians to reconsider the decision of closure of schools till June 30.

It was May 3 when the Education department issued a notification declaring that all government, government-sponsored and non-government aided schools in the state will remain closed on May 3 and May 4 due to the predicted severe cyclonic storm Fani.

It further stated that all these schools will also remain closed from May 6 to May 20 till commencement of summer vacation, due to the prevailing heat wave. It also stated that schools will remain closed till June 30 due to anticipated extreme weather conditions.

Chatterjee on Tuesday has also directed the School Service Commission to complete recruitment in pending posts of teachers and headmasters, preferably by June 20.

"There are certain cases in recruitment that can be sorted out through round table discussion. I have directed the chairman of SSC to take necessary steps in this regard," Chatterjee said.

It may be mentioned here that a number of recruitments in SSC have been stalled because of litigations in several forums.