As West Bengal closes schools, colleges due to heat, teachers express concern over impact on studies

Kolkata: Teachers' organisations of different varsities in West Bengal on Monday expressed concern over the closure of educational institutions in the state due to the heatwave-like conditions, stating that it will affect the academic schedule.

Schools, colleges and universities in the state, except the two hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, were closed for a week till April 23 due to the prevailing weather condition.

Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) said scheduled examinations and other academic activities will be disrupted by this sudden decision of the government.

"The decision of the state government will adversely affect final year students who are supposed to take up recruitment offers or pursue higher studies at other places," JUTA general secretary Partha Pratim Roy said.

"Such a decision proves that higher education has taken a back seat in the state and there is no autonomy of the universities," he told PTI.

The JUTA urged the varsity to allow teachers and research scholars to access their offices and the laboratories.

Rabindra Bharati University Teachers' Association general secretary Debabrata Das said, "This is a crucial time for semester-based curriculum in colleges and universities. Such a decision is likely to affect the academic schedule for higher studies." The Calcutta University Teachers' Association (CUTA) said that research works, seminars and projects were lined up for the week, besides curriculum related activities.

"Such a sudden decision may affect the schedule," a CUTA spokesperson said.

Several private schools in Kolkata such as the La Martiniere for Boys, Birla High School, Sushila Birla Girls' High School and BDM International School are holding online classes.

Principal of BDM International School Madhumita Sengupta said her school was holding online classes for the primary, secondary and senior secondary sections.

Classes for pre-primary students will be suspended for the time being, she told PTI.

Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 39.8 degrees Celsius on Monday, while the minimum was 29.1 degrees Celsius, the weather office said.

The maximum temperature is likely to remain around 40 degrees Celsius over the next 24 hours, it said.