School holidays extended in Noida

The Noida district administration on Thursday ordered an extension of school holidays for all classes.

The Noida district administration on Thursday ordered an extension of school holidays for all classes as the meteorological department has predicted that Friday would be the coldest day of this season so far. Earlier, Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate NP Singh had ordered schools to remain shut till January 11 for classes from nursery to Class 8.

Schoolchildren wait for their bus at a stop in Noida on cold Thursday, a day the city recorded a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, the lowest so far this winter. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

According to the district magistrate (DM), schools shall remain shut till January 15 for students from nursery to Class 12.

“Since there has been no relief from freezing temperatures in the district, all schools in the district, including CBSE and ICSE, shall remain closed for all classes till January 15. Classes will resume on January 16,” the DM’s order said.

On Thursday, the minimum temperatures in Noida and Ghaziabad were recorded at 5.5 degree Celsius. According to the meteorological department, Friday is expected to be the coldest day of the season.

As students of Class 9 and above were still going to school, they attended classes on Thursday. “We got a call from the DM’s office only after classes had started for Class 9 and above. However, we have now announced that the school shall remain closed on Friday, January 13, and will resume only on January 16,” said Renu Singh, principal, Amity International School, Noida. She added that they had already announced an extension of holidays till January 15 for students up to Class 8.

In neighbouring Ghaziabad, however, there was no such development. “We have not passed any orders for the extension of school holidays in the district,” said Nidhi Kesarwani, DM, Ghaziabad.

This has left parents angry. “If the Noida administration can pass such orders, why can’t Ghaziabad? There is no difference between the temperatures in both these districts. On Thursday, children as young as five had to struggle with the cold to reach school in the morning. With this cold, they will definitely fall sick,” said Shivani Jain, president of All School Parents’ Association (ASPA), Ghaziabad.