Summer or monsoon? General education minister V Sivankutty rekindles school vacation debate
monsoon season
has gained currency again. General education minister V Sivankutty has reignited the discussion by seeking public opinion—through a Facebook post—on rescheduling the annual break from April-May to June-July.
The minister, however, acknowledged upfront the difficulties students face due to the scorching summer in April and May. At the same time, he noted that the heavy monsoon rains in June-July often force authorities to declare holidays for days together. There were suggestions to shift the vacation to May-June too. The govt won't rush into a decision, and any change will be made only after building a consensus, he said.
Sivankutty said the govt wanted to gauge the public response to the proposal. "How will the change reflect on students' studies and health? How far will it be convenient for parents and teachers? Can we adopt the best practices in other states and countries," he asked, inviting people to share their views in the comments section of his post.
The pro-Congress teachers association has already criticised the proposal, calling it a "freak" idea that overlooks the ground realities.
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There were similar proposals from bureaucrats on several occasions in the past, but none of them sparked serious public debate. The inconvenience in conducting classes during peak summer has always been a concern. The scheduling of the national entrance examinations during April-May poses another major hurdle.
The fresh proposal comes close on the heels of the govt managing to settle the protests raised by Muslim organisations and the Indian Union Muslim League against the revised school schedule introduced this academic year. The govt had assured the protesters that their grievances would be discussed ahead of the next academic year, but noted that revising the new schedule could invite more legal hurdles.
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