Officials of the district administration whose kids travel by air-conditioned vehicles to their schools, may not have an idea how small schoolchildren get the feeling of a roasting chamber with the heat inside age-old buses. Despite Ranchi witnessing temperature between 35 to 38 degrees Celsius, the office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) is yet to take a decision on making changes in the school timings.
The harsh summer has kept the parents worried as their children have to brave the unsympathetic weather condition to attend school everyday. A resident of Radium Road, Poonam Bhatia, whose six-year-old boy Tanish Bhatia student of St Francis School has fallen sick due to increasing heat, explaining her plight said, “The school administration should commence the morning classes as majority of student’s health is getting affected by this harsh weather. Due to sweltering heat my ward got viral fever.”
like Tanish, class sixth student from Bridge Ford School Sneha Joshi is also suffering from viral fever for past two days. Her mother abusing the weather as well as the school administration for their apathetic attitude towards children’s health said, “Many students are not able to attend their classes due to bad health. The school administration should take concrete action in this direction at the earliest.”
Not only Tanish and Sneha, but there are many more students who are undergoing through similar situation. While parents cry for morning classes for their wards, the school administration is waiting for the DC’s nod to it.
Jawahar Vidya Mandir (JVM) Shyamali Principal AK Singh said, “The school administration is waiting for the DC’s orders as he is the only authorised person for the same. The school administrations only adhere to the instructions issued by him.” When Deputy Commissioner (DC) Vinay Kumar Choubey was enquired about the matter he replied, “The students after enjoying a week-long vacation have resumed their classes from Monday. The issue of blazing sun and children health is in my mind and will reshuffle the schools timing soon. We are keeping a tab on the weather condition and will make changes accordingly.”
Interestingly, District Education Officer SC Marandi also does not feel for an immediate change in the schools timing even for the primary section. “Students have enjoyed a week-long vacation due to poll. Moreover, early classes will delay the syllabus. So, we want to maintain the ongoing school hours,” he said.
However, members of Abhibhavak Manch to address students’ woes with the schools timing held a meeting with the DAV Bariatu School administration members, and it was decided that the administration will make an appeal for the same to the district administration soon.
Hearing the pros and cons of this morning school timing, Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences former director Dr Amool Ranjan said that the grasping power of students especially kids decreases because of dehydration caused by sudden rise in temperature. He said, “District administration could certainly not take prompt action on this temperature rise. Hopefully, they will make positive changes in the school timings by the first week of May.”