‘Do more harm than good’: School leaders mark extended summer vacation in West Bengal

The Advanced Society for Headmasters and Headmistresses (ASHH) said on Tuesday that the decision to extend the summer vacation would do more harm than good, and urged the government of West Bengal to appeal to the schools. The Ministry of Education has extended the summer vacation in state schools by 11 days until June 26 due to the extreme heat.

“We request that you allow school authorities to determine whether the extension of the upcoming summer vacation is unavoidable in the best interests of students and other stakeholders,” ASHH Secretary-General Chandan Kumar Maity said in a statement. While concern for students was reflected in such a decision, it will do more harm than good for countless students, he added.

Maity said educational institutions have reopened after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and such a lengthy vacation will not bridge students’ insurmountable learning gaps. The ASSH, which represents the principals and principals of state-run and state-supported schools, also marked the statement of the schedule for next year’s grades 10 and 12 exams, saying it would be difficult to complete the entire curriculum.

An official from the Ministry of Education said private schools have been asked to follow the government’s decision, but reactions have been mixed. The secretary of La Martiniere Schools, Supriya Kar, said both the boys’ and girls’ divisions will have online classes until June 26.

South Point School board member Krishna Damani said the junior section classes will be held online from June 14 to June 24, while offline classes will be held from June 27. Classes in the senior section were already scheduled to start on June 27.

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