Heatwave persists

The heatwave refuses to die. In July, the soaring temperatures  broke some of the records. Since it is summer the  mercury level will continue to rise in August also. Due to the heatwave a number of parents and other people had recently demanded fresh summer vacations in schools. However, the authorities did not accept the demand on the grounds that they cannot close down the schools whenever it is hot. According to them, the school system cannot work properly and the syllabus cannot get covered if there are frequent vacations. However, the authorities ordered change in school timings  and later a two-day suspension of class work for students in all government and private schools up to primary classes. The class work has now resumed. There is a need to provide facilities in schools so that the children do not get affected due to heatwave during summer and coldwave in the initial days of winter when the schools are open. Right now the classrooms must have fan facilities and a regualr power supply. There must be uninterrupted power supply to schools during working hours. Reports say that a number of schools are without any fan facility. If some fans are there but those are not available in all classrooms. The power supply is not uninterrupted during the class hours in all the schools. Fans should be made available in the classrooms with required power supply. Providing school buildings and teachers is important but providing other basic facilities to the students is equally important. This aspect is often being ignored and needs to be addressed seriously. In fact the classrooms should have air conditioning ( AC) facilities. A senior officer of education department recently said that his department has not yet reached the stage to provide the AC facility in schools. But he said they will gradually work to provide such amenities. Such amenities are important and must be speedily provided. Till that time all classrooms must have fans and power supply. The school buses and other cabs carrying school children, too must have air condition facility.