Confusion prevails over reopening of schools

Govt. asks educational institutions to start functioning from June 1

Confusion prevails over reopening of schools for the academic year 2018-19 with the State government instructing all the educational institutions to start functioning from June 1 (Friday) to facilitate the celebration of Telangana Formation Day on June 2, while private educational institutions have made it clear that they would reopen schools only on June 11.

Normally, the academic year begins with the onset of monsoon from June 12, but in a first, the State government has decided to reopen schools from June 1 to ensure that the students participate in the formation day celebrations.

Heat wave conditions

Given the prevailing heat wave conditions and temperature soaring to 44 degrees Celsius in the district, the authorities fear that students may not turn up on June 1.

Since the formation of Telangana State on June 2, the government wants to celebrate the day by hoisting the tricolour at all the education institutions, including the private ones.

However, it has been a low-key affair as students hardly turn up at schools for celebrations with summer vacation continuing till June 12.

This year too, many students may not attend the celebrations owing to the blistering heat wave and non-availability of drinking water in a majority of government schools. Keeping this in view, the teaching community had appealed to the government to exempt schools and colleges from celebrating the formation day, but failed to get a positive response.

On the other hand, the private educational institutions affiliated to Telangana Recognised Schools Management Association (TRSMA) have vehemently opposed reopening of schools on June 1. However, they have said would celebrate the formation day with the available faculty members, students and parents.

TRSMA State general secretary Y. Shekhar Rao wondered how could the schools reopen on June 1 when the heat wave conditions are said to continue. “We have decided to reopen schools only on June 11 in the interest of students to protect them from sunstroke, diarrhoea and other diseases,” he maintained.