As summer temperatures soar, a school in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, has converted a classroom into a swimming pool with an aim to increase attendance.
In a viral video, students in Mahsaunapur village can be seen enjoying inside the artificial swimming pool.
The X user who uploaded the video said this was done to "maintain attendance of students who were missing school due to crop harvest and heat waves", attributing the information to school authorities.
In an interview with ANI, school principal Vaibhav Kumar was quoted as saying that as "the weather department informed [us] about the heat wave, we were asking students to drink water and cool drinks".
"We also told them that people in cities bathe in swimming pools. Students asked us what swimming pools look like and when they will get to see it... Students also asked if we could make it in the school, so we told them to speak to their parents and get permission. After discussion, we decided to make a swimming pool inside the classroom..."
Response On Social Media
The video has so far garnered over 82,000 views with mixed reactions. Most users appreciated the move of the school authorities while others expressed concern.
One user wrote, "Leave aside everything, kids are happy & enjoying. The purest form of fun & happiness, only kids can have."
Another wrote, "These angels need a swimming pool. Look how happy they are."
A third user raised questions about the water quality. "Kids are allowed to play in dirty water and is never meant for swimming [sic]. Who will be responsible for the affections [sic] they get with wet clothes and dirty water?"