HRD Minister trashes report of school remaining open on X'Mas

HRD Minister Smriti Irani today dismissed as "baseless and inaccurate" a media report suggesting that schools would remain open on December 25 to observer 'Good Governance Day'.

"It is unfortunate that misreporting has been deliberately done...Controversy has been created to grab headlines.

"December 25 is Christmas and will be celebrated like that and schools will be shut," she told reporters outside Parliament.

She said her Ministry would be releasing a statement shortly on the matter as the report is "baseless and inaccurate".

The intention is to make me keep on giving explanations on this, she said.

Irani said the essay competition that the schools including Central government-run Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalays (JNV) would be organising would be "voluntary" in nature and conducted online.

"All schools closed for X'Mas, essay competition only online," she tweeted separately.

A circular issued by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti had last week stated that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday will be celebrated as 'Good Governance Day' and asked all the JNVs to "ensure" celebration of the day.

It said CBSE would also be organising competitions under CBSE expression series on good governance on December 24 and 25 and it was open to all schools under the Board.

As part of the competition, open to schools from Class I to V, VI to VIII and IX and XII, entries in the form of essays/one-act-plays in 22 schedule languages and English can be submitted on December 24 and 25 online and offline (links will be provided).

"The circular also said screening of documentaries and films on best practices in good governance and organisation of various activities through child cabinets in schools would be organised".