Soaring temperatures have prompted officials in Jammu to adjust the school day for students in hot zones during the peak summer months. State Education Department Secretary Bukhtiar Khuroo yesterday directed district education officers to shorten school hours in areas experiencing excessive heat.
According to the order, primary schools in severely hot localities will now hold classes from 7 am to 11 am instead of the regular schedule. Middle and high schools in these summer scorcher regions will teach students from 8 am to 12 pm, cutting out two hours from their daily program. The affected school zones have faced prolonged periods of high heat levels that breach safety limits.
Reducing classroom hours is intended to protect children's health at a time when temperatures routinely climb above 40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Jammu. Prolonged exposure to such intense heat carries risks like dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. By finishing earlier, students will benefit from lower afternoon heat and have more time left in cooler evenings for study or play.
Education officials said the alterations will remain active until weather patterns shift to milder conditions, expected around mid-September. Special instructions have been issued to all schools situated in heat wave-prone belts to stringently follow the new timings and monitor any issues closely. Proper water facilities along with an action plan for heat-related medical help must also be readied.
Keeping child health and safety as top priorities, authorities are taking appropriate steps to battle the scorching climate. With adjustments like these, Jammu hopes to continue educating youngsters despite challenging summer temperatures.
