Schools reopen after vacation

PATNA: All government and private schools in the city, and across the state, re-opened on Monday after an extended summer vacation.
Most schools closed for the vacation from May 10 onwards and were initially scheduled to re-open on June 12. However, due to the intense heatwave sweeping Bihar, the state government initially ordered to extend the vacation till June 17, the further deferred it till June 22.
Principal of Loyala High School, Brother Sudhakar Reddy SG said, “The schools have reopened a bit late and we have to cover up the syllabus so we might have to take some extra classes in order to complete the syllabus on time.”
Similar views were expressed by other city schools. Balram Kumar Singh, a teacher at DAV Public School, BSEB said, “Extra classes, also called ‘zero period’ will be held, in order to cover the syllabus. The class timing has also been tweaked. It will now be from 7am to 11.30am so that students do not have to face much heat while attending school.”
Parents on the other hand are justifiably concerned about the scorching heat affecting their children even though the onset of monsoon in Bihar was declared in the state on Friday.
“With the extension of holidays, we were happy that our children won’t have to go to school in the scorching heat, but it seems there is no relief from the weather even now. The rains over the past couple of days have not brought much respite,” said Santosh Kumar (43), a resident of Ashiana Nagar.
Manisha Singh (35), a resident of Kurji, said, “The extension of summer holidays has increased the burden on students as teachers will now try to cover the syllabus in whatever academic days left and the students might not be able to grasp the things properly. I made my child study even in the holidays, so that it becomes a bit easier for him.”
Students, however, were excited to get back to school after the long holiday. Ankita Kashyap (15), a student of Notre Dame Academy, said, “I didn’t get to meet my friends the entire holiday, so I am happy to meet them. I will follow my daily routine now and complete the syllabus at the earliest.”