Rajkot schools defy govt writ to remain shut on holidays

On Tuesday,about 2,500 teachers from these schools took out a rally and met the collector to press for the withdrawal of the notification,which they said was being implemented only in Rajkot district.

On October 26,two school principals and an administrator of a school were arrested and booked for holding extra classes for students the same day,which was Eid holiday.

Following the incident,the Rajkot Self-financed Schools Association has hardened its stand against the notification,which the state government had issued citing rising incidents of suicides among students because of academic pressure.

According to the Association,the schools have no option but to conduct extra classes given the exhaustive curriculum for board exams.

With around 400 private schools,Rajkot leads the state in the list of toppers in Gujarat State Education Board exams every year and private schools claim the credit for improving the academic standards with extra and quality coaching.

“Now we follow the semester pattern. If we observe all holidays for each semester,we get only three-and-a-half months instead of six for preparations for the board examinations,” says Rashi Modi of Rajkot Self-Financed Schools Association. “We conduct extra classes so that curriculum is completed on time and both students and parents remain stress-free. Also,students do not have to take separate coaching.”

The district administration,however,justified the notification. “Over 30 students committed suicide last year and hence this notification. We have asked them to submit a list of some holidays when they would like to remain open,but the notification cannot be taken back entirely,” Rajkot collector Rajendra Kumar said.

Schools,on their part,argue that half of the students who committed suicide were in colleges and that the notification is not applicable to higher education. Besides,they say,domestic situation,and not academic burden,was responsible for many of these suicides.

In two of these suicide cases reported from Rajkot city,schools authorities were booked for abetment after victims were found to have taken the extreme step under academic stress.

Parents,who have not come out in the open,appeared unclear. “There should not be any stress on students,but it is also important to complete curriculum,” said a parent.

Rajkot district education officer A K Visiya said,“There is a clear guideline from the education department that schools should observe complete closure on holidays and it should be followed.”

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