Date:10/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/10/stories/2008011053590300.htm

Other States - Orissa

School timings in Ganjam district rescheduled

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: All schools in Ganjam district had to reschedule the timings of their pre-school classes for the winter months from Wednesday as per the order of the district administration.

The district administration took the decision following publication of a letter of a woman of the city in the ‘Readers’ Mail’ column of The Hindu on Monday regarding the plight of small children of pre-school classes during winter months as they have to face the chill too early in the morning, when even grown-ups do not dare to come out.

The pre-school classes in most of the schools started earlier than the senior classes. In some schools of the city, the pre-school classes start at 6.30 a.m. The pressure of getting ready for school too early in the morning during the winter days is creating antipathy for school in the minds of tiny tots.

Realising it, Ganjam district Collector V.K. Pandian ordered all schools in the district to start their classes from 8 a.m. during winter months till further orders. Mr. Pandian said he took the decision immediately on Monday, when he came across the letter of the mother worried over the school timings of her child.

The official orders were passed on to all schools the next day and from Wednesday all schools had to start their classes from 8 a.m. onwards.