Balurghat: ‘Plunging temperature keeping students away from schools’

BALURGHAT: Owing to the ongoing cold wave, attendance of students in schools has dropped significantly in South Dinajpur over the past one week.

Temperature in the district has been hovering around 9 degree Celsius. Dense fog and chilly winds during early mornings further add to the woes.

Incidentally, in the month of January, the process of admission in schools starts. The enrollment of students in all state-run schools of the district is about to end. The admission process in some schools has been completed but owing to the winter chill, students are staying away from school.

Tanmay Chakraborty, teacher in-charge of Manail Junior High School, said: “Students are not coming to school owing to the cold. Only about 20-25 per cent of students come to the school.”

Nitai Chandra Das, District Inspector of Schools (Secondary) said: “It is true that students are not coming to schools due to winter. This is the picture across the district but it is expected that after January when the winter subsides, the students will return.”

As per the prediction of the Meteorological department, such weather will continue till the middle of next week.

Suman Sutradhar, official of Meteorological department, said: “Temperature is hovering between 9 and 11 degree Celsius. The cold spell will continue in the next few days.”

“I am not sending my daughter to school for a few days because of winter. She catches a cold easily. I will send her to school again when the cold subsides,” said Subhas Das, a local resident.