Kolkata: The Archdiocese of Calcutta on June 20 advised schools run by Church organizations to reduce working hours instead of declaring a long holiday to beat the summer heat.

The advice came in the form of a circular in response to an advisory from the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) to all its affiliates.

The private board of school education in India has advised its schools to declare a holiday from June 20 to 30 to beat the extremely hot weather.

The West Bengal government has also endorsed the holidays.

A note issued by the diocesan inspector of schools says Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta was informed about the holiday from the government as well as Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of the council.

“Having consulted (the archbishop), this is to inform you that although the weather is extremely hot, it is advisable not to close down our schools totally. We need to complete the syllabus… Heads of our diocesan schools are directed to reduce the working hours, start early and close the schools between 10am and 11 am,” the inspector’s note said.

He however suggested closing classes for small children up to grade two “considering their age.”

St Xavier’s, Loreto, Don Bosco, Loyola High, Carmel, St Teresa, St Agnes’ Convent, St Joseph’s College Bowbazar, St Mary’s, Our Lady Queen of the Missions, St Aloysius, St Anthony’s and Sacred Heart are some of the ICSE schools run by the Catholic founder bodies under the Calcutta diocese.

Although the archbishop spoke in the context of the circular by the CISCE, his advisory will also be applicable to schools run by the Church under the Bengal board.

The Calcutta archdiocese directly runs 11 schools in the city, all of whom are bound to follow the archbishop’s advisory. St Joseph’s College, Bowbazar, Loyola High School, St Aloysius School and St Mary’s School, Dum Dum, are some institutions run directly by the archdiocese.

Schools such as St Xavier’s, Loreto, Don Bosco, Our Lady Queen of the Missions and Carmel Convent are also under the jurisdiction of the archdiocese, but the provincial heads of their founder bodies have the freedom to take their own decisions.

Loreto House had declared a holiday from June 19 for Nursery and KG. On June 20, the school extended the heat holiday to students up to grade five till June 22.Grades six to twelve will have early dispersal at 11.30 am until June 22. The school normally gets over at 1:40 pm.

The notice issued to parents mentions that they will be notified later about class timings for next week. “The weather has improved, but we never know. I will take a call on Sunday evening,” said Aruna Gomes, principal of Loreto House.

Several schools said they were yet to receive the advisory. “We will decide about our course of action once we get the advisory,” a source at St Xavier’s Collegiate School said.

Source: telegraphindia.com