Students of private schools suffer in sweltering weather

Rawalpindi, The parents of children studying in private academic institutions have appealed to the Punjab government to take steps against school and college owners for not following its orders regarding summer vacation with effect from June 1.

The government schools and colleges have been closed down for summer vacation on June 1. However private educational institutes are still holding classes. The sweltering weather is taking its toll on little souls due to frequent power outages.

On Wednesday, dozens of students suffered from nose bleeding and dehydration. ‘The News’ also learnt that several people suffered dehydration in the city.

Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Hanif told this scribe that people in Rawalpindi-Islamabad faced 40 degrees Celsius temperature, whereas the humidity level was 21. The temperature and humidity was too much for adults what to say of children, he added.

District Headquarters Hospital Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr. Zafar Mehmood admitted that several people, who had suffered from dehydration on Wednesday, were brought to the hospital for treatment. He said that people should try to protect their heads with a cap or a piece of cloth to avoid direct sunlight. “On the other hand, private educational institutions should be closed down so that children may not suffer in such a hot weather. The school managements should either close down their premises or stop children from playing outdoors,” he suggested.

Rawalpindi Association of Private Schools (RAPS) General Secretary Group Captain (r) Asif Mehmood admitted that most children were not attending classes due to hot weather. He said that private schools were continuing their classes because they had scheduled examinations of first term and they could not cancel them. He said if the government of Punjab had intimated them the plan of summer vacation in advance, then they could have altered their plan. He also agreed to the point the summer vacation schedule of all academic institutions should be the same.