West Bengal: Schools, Colleges To Be Closed Next Week Amid Severe Heat

All schools and colleges in West Bengal will be shut next week owing to severe heat conditions in the state.

Educational institutions in the state of West Bengal including schools and colleges will remain shut in the next week, owing to the intense heat prevailing in the state. ‘The state government has urged all schools, colleges and educational institutions and universities including private institutes to announce holiday for this week due to the heat wave, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee said on Sunday, April 16, 2023. The move from the Bengal government comes amidst the rising heat wave across the state. 

Notably, in the past few days, several states across the country including Delhi, Bihar, and West Bengal have been recording temperatures close or over to 40 degree celsius. The meteorological department has also cautioned about heat waves over the Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The department also warned about an increase in temperature by 2 - 4 degree celsius in many parts of the country. 

Notably, earlier on April 13, the West Bengal government also postponed the summer vacation in West Bengal government schools. Summer vacations in state-run schools across West Bengal will now begin from May 2, instead of May 24, as per the earlier schedule. The announcement closely followed the meteorological departments alert on expected rise in temperatures in the districts of Bankura, Purulia, Paschim Medinipur, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum. 

In the wake of rising temperatures in several parts of the country, various states have started gearing up to take measures to tap the soaring mercury level and safeguard people. Especially school-going children. In a similar move, earlier on April 14, the district administration of Bihar’s capital city Patna, asked school administrations in the city to revise school timings amid the scorching summer heat. 

On Thursday April 13, the Delhi Government after being alerted about intense heat waves in the national capital in the next few days, issued detailed guidelines for Delhi schools to follow. The advisory from the Directorate of Education (DoE) Delhi, asked schools to ensure that no assembly is organized in the afternoon. It further added that children must be sensitized to protect themselves from the summer heat, ensure proper availability of drinking water and water breaks in schools, and report to a nearby hospital or health facility if any student has a case of heat-related illness. 

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