Due to the ongoing cold wave, coupled with dense fog and low temperatures in northern India, numerous cities, union territories, and states have announced the closure of schools to mitigate the adverse effects of the harsh weather on students.
In response to the persistent cold wave and foggy conditions prevailing in the northern states, Punjab, Haryana, and various districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have prolonged the suspension of school activities.
Chandigarh has issued a directive to all government, government-aided, and recognized private schools, mandating the suspension of in-person classes for students up to Class 8 until January 20, 2024. The official notice from the Department of School Education, Chandigarh, states, “Considering the inclement weather conditions and to prevent children from exposure to the extreme cold, there will be no physical classes up to Class VIII in any Government, Government-Aided, and Recognised Private Schools of UT Chandigarh until January 20, 2024. Schools may conduct online classes for these classes.”
In Punjab, all primary schools, including government, government-aided, and private schools, will remain closed for classes up to 5th until January 20 due to the severe cold wave conditions. Harjot Singh Bains mentions on X (formerly Twitter), “To ensure the health and safety of students, all primary schools in the state will be closed from January 15 to January 21, 2024.”
Meanwhile, middle, high, and senior secondary schools in the state, whether government, aided, recognized, or private, will operate during regular hours from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For schools with a double shift, the timing will be from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and no double-shift school will be open after 4:00 PM. These directives are effective immediately and will persist until January 21, 2024.
