Classes in Kendriya Vidyalayas in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts have been suspended till April 10, the last working day before Kendriya Vidyalayas across the State close for the summer vacation on April 11.
Students in Kendriya Vidyalayas in Thiruvananthapuram were told on Thursday that classes had been suspended from Friday owing to the harsh climate prevailing in the State. They will now reopen on May 31.
Circular
The Kendriya Vidyalayas have been in the news after reopening for the new academic session on April 1 even as the State government issued a circular that no classes be held in schools in the State, including those following the CBSE and CISCE syllabus, during the summer vacation.
The Kerala Education Rules chapter 7 rule 1 stipulates that schools in the State should close on the last working day in March and reopen on the first working day in June.
50-day vacation
However, unlike State schools and other CBSE schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas follow a 50-day vacation pattern, with schools starting the new academic session in April and closing after a few days for the summer break.
Conducting classes in Kendriya Vidyalayas against the backdrop of heatwave conditions in the State for the past few weeks even as other schools closed for summer vacations from April 1 had caused a lot of anxiety among parents.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has issued warnings in the wake of scorching temperatures in the State.
Krishna Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Ernakulam regional office, said classes had been suspended in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam owing to various reasons. KVs in other districts remained open.
Instructions given
About the impact of adverse weather conditions on students, he said instructions had been given to all Principals to comply with the district administration’s orders in this regard.
In instances where the district administration had ordered that classes not be held, as had happened in Kannur on April 1 and 2 or in Kozhikode, these were followed.
The schools, he said, had taken adequate precautions to make the students comfortable.
Except for KVs in Kerala, all KVs across the country started their vacation sometime after the first week of May.
The vacation in Kerala had been advanced following requests from parents, he said.
Authorities in a school in Thiruvananthapuram said some schools functioned as exam correction centres and in others various activities were on. Besides climate, these too had led to the decision to suspend classes.
