Amidst increasing heatwaves being noted in Gujarat, the Primary Education Department has issued a circular to all District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Primary Education Officers (DPEOs), and has ordered them to implement the Heatwave Action Plan 2025. As a part of the Plan, schools have been ordered not to hold classes and programs in the open and to modify school timings as per the requirement.
The Relief Commissioner and Secretary’s Office, under the Revenue Department of the Government of Gujarat, have been asked to prepare in advance for the rising heat in the state. As per the Gujarat Heatwave Action Plan 2025, the government has given instructions to take special precautionary measures.
Following which, the Office of the Director of Primary Education has issued a circular to all DEOs and DPEOs to implement the Heatwave Action Plan, while emphasizing that special precautions be taken in the primary schools of the state.
According to the government’s instructions, all schools will have to educate children about heatwave, its effects, and the ways to avoid it, with the help of the teachers. No open-air classes or programs will be conducted during the summer. School timings will have to be changed as per the requirement. The government has issued a circular to the DEOs and DPEOs to give instructions to all schools in this regard.
Regarding the heatwave, Minister of State for Education Praful Pansheriya said that in all the districts of the state, the DEOs will be able to change the school timings based on the heat level; they will not have to get any kind of permission from the state government.
He added that school students will not be able to perform sports activities on the playground during the summer after their prayers. In addition, teachers will have to remind the students to drink water at regular intervals. He advised the citizens not to be afraid of the heatwave, and to be aware while taking care of their children.
Earlier, it was demanded that afternoon shift of schools be changed to morning shifts, that the schools that run from 12 noon to 5 pm should be run from 7:30 am to 12 noon.