CM Bhagwant Mann Announces Extended Winter Break For Punjab Schools | Representative Image
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Sunday that schools in Punjab would observe an additional winter break starting from Monday due to severe cold conditions prevailing in the state. This decision follows the initial winter vacations for Punjab schools, which were scheduled from December 14 to 31, 2023.
The move aims to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff during the intense cold weather, allowing them to resume classes once conditions improve.
Due to the ongoing severe cold weather conditions in Punjab, schools up to Class 10 will remain closed until January 14. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, through his official social media handle, announced the decision, stating, “Keeping in view the severe cold, it has been decided to have a holiday from January 8 to January 14 in all the government and private schools of Punjab up to class 10.”
This precautionary measure prioritizes the safety and well-being of students during the challenging weather conditions. The recent decision aligns with a similar move in Delhi, where a winter break has been declared for students from Nursery to Class 5 for the next five days.
Delhi Education Minister Atishi confirmed the decision through a post on ‘X’, stating, “Schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 5 days due to the prevailing cold weather conditions, for students from Nursery to Class 5.”
These coordinated measures in different states reflect a shared concern for the well-being of students amid challenging weather conditions. In a recent development, the Delhi government initially extended the winter break for all government-aided and unaided recognized private schools in the national capital territory (NCT) until January 10.
This decision was made in response to ‘extreme cold waves and IMD’s yellow alert’. However, shortly after issuing the order, the Delhi government retracted the decision to extend the winter vacation in schools within the national capital.
The reversal highlights the dynamic nature of decision-making amid changing weather conditions and administrative considerations.
On Sunday, the cold wave intensified in Punjab and Haryana, resulting in a significant drop in day temperatures. Additionally, widespread fog during the morning hours led to reduced visibility at various locations. In response to the severe cold weather conditions in the region, the Punjab government took decisive action by ordering the closure of all schools up to Class 10 until January 14.
This precautionary measure aims to ensure the safety and well-being of students during the harsh weather conditions. The Chandigarh Administration has declared the closure of all schools in Chandigarh for classes up to Class 8 until January 13, citing severe cold weather conditions.
According to the order issued by the Director of School Education, there will be no physical classes for these grades during the next six days, from January 8-13. However, schools are permitted to conduct online classes for students in these classes. For students in Class IX to XII, the school timings shall adhere to the order dated January 6.
