Schools choose holiday over I-Day celebration

Many Mumbai schools celebrated Independence Day on Friday or Saturday to enjoy the long weekend and didn’t call students to school on August 15

Many schools in the city skipped the 70th Independence Day on Monday to enjoy the long weekend. The schools wrapped up celebrations last week and while some stayed shut on August 15, some only called in the staff for a token ceremony.

A flag hoisted at BMC office on Monday(Satish Bate/HT)

According to the state’s education department rules, schools are supposed to have a flag hoisting ceremony with students on Independence Day and they cannot declare a holiday then. Even the ministry of human resource development had asked schools to celebrate a freedom fortnight from August 9 to 23.

Many unaided private schools held programmes on Friday or Saturday morning but did not call students to school on the Independence Day. “We held a small flag hoisting ceremony with only our staff members on Monday,” said a principal of a school in Santacruz.

Similarly, few schools in Fort, Goregaon and Airoli also did not ask students to come. “I was surprised that the school celebrated I-Day on Friday and nothing was scheduled for Monday,” said a parent.

Education officials said that although there are no circulars on conducting a programme for students, flag hoisting in their presence is mandatory. “Flag-hoisting has to be done on the Independence Day itself. Advance or belated celebrations are not allowed,” said BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai region. “We will look into schools violating the rule if parents complain.”