Amid severe heatwave, school timings changed in Himachal's 6 districts

Amid an intense heatwave gripping parts of Himachal Pradesh, the Directorate of School Education has revised school timings for summer-closing schools in six districts — Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) in Solan and Paonta Sahib and Nahan in Sirmaur.

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As per Director Ashish Kohli’s official order, schools in these districts will now operate from 7:30 am to 1 pm where necessary. The decision comes in light of soaring temperatures touching 45°C, leading to growing concern among School Management Committees (SMCs), Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), and parents over student safety.

To protect children from heat-related stress, schools have been instructed to shorten morning assemblies, restrict outdoor activities during peak hours and ensure students carry two extra bottles of drinking water.

Additionally, schools have been asked to adhere to any instructions previously issued under the Disaster Management Act by local Deputy Commissioners or SDMs. Authorities are urged to take all necessary precautions to safeguard student well-being during this period of extreme heat.