Heat wave takes toll on school attendance

Continuous heat wave coupled with long power cuts has taken its toll on attendance in government-run schools, which opened after summer break on Monday. The state government had in a recent order announced an extension in holidays for primary schools, but the middle and higher secondary schools were ordered to open as per the earlier schedule. However, schools in Faridkot reported a low attendance on the first working day after the break.

A government teacher, who did not want to be named, had just two students in his class. "Government has made it mandatory that the children should be taught inside the classrooms so we cannot take them out in the open under the shade of trees," he said.

Schools situated in Faridkot town witnessed an attendance of about 70 per cent while it was just around 50 per cent or even lower in rural areas.

District Education Officer Baljnder Singh Brar said, "We understand the problems that the students are facing but we have no choice but to follow the orders."

He added that generator sets have been arranged as some schools, even as he accepted that there as "also these schools that are forced to do without power." Faridkot has nearly 100 schools.

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