For those students stepping into Class 10 and 12, the end of one academic year marks the beginning of another.
Several private schools in the city have re-opened after a week’s holiday despite concerns being raised about the safety of students attending classes during peak summer.
Just a few days after examinations for Class 9 and Class 11 got over, some of the private schools have put those students stepping into the crucial Class 10 and 12 back to the classrooms to prepare them for the academic year, with scant regard to health concerns.
“I got just a week’s time to relax between my Class 9 examinations and school re-opening. We are asked to attend classes exactly seven days after the exams. We are made to attend classes continuously for two hours without even a break. We are left with no other option other than follow the direction,” said a student of a prestigious school in the city.
Disheartened teachers who are made to toe the dictates of the school management said it was a cruel thing to bring back the students to the classrooms when they were supposed to take a break.
“There are several schools without adequate facilities to provide additional care to the students, including enough ventilation and fan. In addition, the city is facing severe water crisis and in such a situation it is not advisable to run schools,” said a teacher with a private school on condition of anonymity.
Agreeing with the views expressed by the teacher, Principal of Government College for Teacher Education, Thycaud, B. Suresh said the students were under severe stress due to the tight schedule and over-loaded syllabus.
“Now, when you deny the child their due right to take a long vacation, you are putting them into a heightened mental stress. The schools alone cannot be blamed, it is often the parental pressure that puts the child often on a high stress level. When you allow one school to function, the others will follow suit. So it should be the duty of the government to make two-months vacation a mandatory procedure in the academic calendar,” Mr. Suresh said.
Director of Public Instructions M.S. Jaya told The Hindu that there had been reports about private schools running classes during summer. Inquiries by the department had revealed that the classes were run on the request of parents.
“We cannot intervene when classes are run as per the request of parents. We can take action if the schools are forcefully making the students study during summer. If there are such instances it can be brought to us,” she said.
