Bhubaneswar: Yielding to public demand for wrapping up classes before noon, the school and mass education department Tuesday rescheduled the timing of Classes X and XII as a precautionary measure to tackle the heatwave situation in the state.
As per the new timings, Classes X and XII timings were rescheduled to a bracket of 8 am to 12 noon. Earlier, it was from 9am to 1pm. Timings of Classes IX and XI have not been changed and they will continue as scheduled from 7am to 9am.
On February 26, as a precautionary measure to tackle the heatwave situation, the school and mass education department Friday rescheduled school timings for Class IX, X, XI and XII with effect from March 1. As per the guidelines, Class IX and XI timings were rescheduled to 7am to 9am while Class X and XII timings were rescheduled to 9am to 1pm.
But the Congress party Sunday had opposed the state government’s plan to continue classes in schools post noon in the wake of the rising mercury level in the state. Congress leader Santosh Singh Saluja Sunday said classes should start by 6:30 am and end before noon.
He expressed concern that school kids may suffer illness due to scorching sun and demanded withdrawal of the state government’s plan to continue classes till 1 pm.
“The state government has announced rescheduling of the classes but that is not good enough. Classes must start from 6am or 6:30am everyday and end by 11am or 11:30am. The mercury level is rising day-by-day. If any kid falls ill due to sunstroke, the school and mass education minister should be held liable for the same,” Saluja said.
PNN