Schools to reopen on June 18, no extension of summer vacation

Bhubaneswar: All schools in the state will reopen on June 18 and there will be no extension of the summer vacation, school and mass education minister Nityananda Gond said on Monday.Speaking to mediapersons in Bhubaneswar, Gond added, “The state govt has decided to reopen all govt, govt-aided and private schools as scheduled on June 18 after the Raja festival.”Earlier, the minister had said that if the heatwave continued, the govt might consider extending the summer vacation by a few more days. “The weather is now favourable following the arrival of the monsoon, with temperatures dropping across all districts.

We need to focus on students’ education now. Extending the vacation would not be appropriate and we are aiming to adhere to the academic schedule for all grades,” Gond said.The decision comes after the govt had advanced the summer vacation earlier this year due to extreme weather conditions. While the break was originally scheduled to begin on May 2, it was brought forward to April 27 in view of the intense heatwave.Gond, however, added that the govt is continuing to monitor weather conditions.

“If a heatwave returns around June 18 and students are unable to step out of their homes, we will reassess the situation and take necessary steps to ensure their safety,” the minister said.Meanwhile, textbooks have started reaching schools and department officials said all books would be delivered before June 18. Sources in the Odisha Primary School Teachers Association said many schools have already received the required textbooks, while the remaining ones are expected to get them before classes resume. Distribution was delayed this year as the revision of the syllabus necessitated the printing of new textbooks. Students had to manage with photocopies of the books throughout the summer vacation.