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Ludhiana: Amid foggy weather, teachers call for revised school schedule
Teachers pointed out that many government schools operate in double shifts, forcing students of the morning shift to report very early amid biting cold
With dense fog and near cold wave conditions continuing across the district, teachers’ unions and school heads have urged the authorities to either extend winter holidays or revise school timings, especially for primary students. Early morning school hours, coupled with poor visibility and biting cold, pose serious health and safety risks for young children, they said.
Teachers pointed out that many government schools operate in double shifts, forcing students of the morning shift to report very early. During foggy conditions, visibility drops sharply, making daily travel unsafe. The concern is more serious for primary students, many of whom commute in auto-rickshaws or on two-wheelers with parents, increasing the risk of accidents.
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, said the union has appealed to Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains to revise school timings. He demanded that schools should start at 10 am to prevent any mishap during extreme cold and fog. He said the safety of students and teachers must be given priority, recalling that in previous years several road accidents during fog had resulted in injuries and even loss of lives of students and staff.
He said changing school timings would not only improve safety but also increase student attendance, as many children stay absent due to harsh weather conditions.
Echoing similar concerns, Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers Union and headteacher of Government Primary School, Mangli Uchi, said it is extremely difficult for small children to attend school early in the morning during such weather. “Many students travel in auto-rickshaws, which becomes very risky in dense fog. At least for primary classes, winter holidays should be extended,” he said.
According to the India Meteorological Department, dense to very dense fog is likely to persist during night and morning hours over Punjab for the next few days. The weather office has also predicted thunderstorms with lightning and dense fog on January 1. On Tuesday, districts including Ludhiana, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib were placed under an orange alert, while several others were under a yellow alert.
Meanwhile, district education officers said no official instructions had been received so far regarding the extension of holidays or change in school timings. Administrative secretary to the school education department, Anindita Mitra, said any decision on holidays or revised timings would depend entirely on prevailing weather conditions.
