Umaria, 17 November (Patrika English). The Umaria district administration has revised school timings in view of the sharp drop in temperature and increasing cold. Acting Collector Abhay Singh has ordered that all government and private schools in the district will now operate from 9 am for students from pre-primary to Class 8.
According to the order, the revised timing will be effective from Monday and will remain in force until further instructions. Officials said the decision aims to safeguard young children who were struggling to reach school early in the morning amid the severe cold and cold-wave conditions.
The district has recorded a sudden fall in temperature over the past few days. Strong cold winds and morning fog have led to reduced visibility, increasing the risk of cough, cold and other seasonal illnesses among children. After warnings from the Meteorological Department and advice from the Health Department, the administration issued this order with immediate effect.
The Acting Collector said the change was necessary to protect schoolchildren from adverse health effects during the winter. The order will apply uniformly to all government, private, central, CBSE and other board-affiliated schools. While teaching activities will continue as usual, teachers must report on time and perform their regular duties. Only the students’ reporting time has been revised to provide relief from the morning cold.
Parents have welcomed the move, saying sending children to school at 7 or 7.30 am had become difficult due to rising cold. Many students were falling ill. Teachers also termed it a positive step, as low temperatures were affecting student travel and attendance. The Health Department has advised parents to ensure children wear warm clothes, avoid going outdoors early in the morning, and seek medical help if symptoms of cold or cough appear.
The administration has indicated that if temperatures drop further in the coming days, additional changes in timings or even holidays may be considered. For now, all schools in the district will operate from 9 am until further orders.
