The Delhi government has mandated the immediate closure of all schools, both private and government, due to the severe heatwave gripping the capital.
This decision, announced on Monday, extends the summer vacation until June 30, 2024, as temperatures continue to soar dangerously high.
In a directive issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), school heads were instructed to observe the summer break from May 11, 2024, to June 30, 2024, for the academic year 2024-25.
The circular noted non-compliance by several government-aided and unaided private schools, prompting the enforcement of an immediate closure.
The city, already enduring a relentless heatwave, woke up to a scorching Monday with temperatures at 29.2 degrees Celsius, three degrees above the seasonal average. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts that the mercury could rise to 45 degrees Celsius, marking an uncomfortably hot summer for Delhi.
Delhi's extreme weather conditions are part of a broader heatwave affecting several northern states. The IMD has issued severe heatwave warnings for regions including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, starting from May 18.
In response, several neighboring states have also announced early summer vacations for schools to safeguard students' health.
Haryana's Directorate of School Education has closed schools as temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, with an orange alert for severe heatwaves in southern Punjab and Haryana. Schools in Haryana will remain closed until July 1, 2024.
Similarly, Punjab has declared a summer vacation for all schools from June 1 to June 30, 2024. Rajasthan has also mandated a summer break from May 17 to June 30, prohibiting any additional classes during this period.
