CLOSING SCHOOLS IS NO SOLUTION

Every year during winter season there is cold wave and the governments fulfill their duty by closing down schools as if this will save the kids from cold. The poor children of villages go to their homes where thatch houses are worse than the solid walls of schools, where they go out in the fields ill clothed without realizing the frost bite and many fall sick. Governments close down schools because it does not cost anything to them but it takes away a few teaching days out of 180 days contemplated for academic calendar.

It is not the poor children of villages that are sent home but also of public schools where children are well clothed and schools can afford hot air blowers and heaters. These schools are closed to demonstrate government authority. Closing of schools will not equip children to fight cold. There are better ways to fight cold but these will cost money.

Neelesh, Vishal, Shilpa, Yamini and their friends have demonstrated that a 1000 sweaters could better equip the children to fight cold. The government if desires can provide sweaters to all the poor students free of cost through village Pradhans. They can also provide firewood in the school;s, regular power supply to schools and can change school timings to avoid the worst hours of cold. After all, if cold was so monstrous, the schools of America, Canada, Europe and the other cold places would be closed for all time to come as they have cold all year round. In North India, the cold is an annual feature and the governments can declare long winter vacations and short summer vacation. But in case, the youth of India can face neither cold not heat, it is pointless to talk about competing with the tough citizens of the other countries.

I hope a clear policy would be formulated to fight cold rather than ad hoc arrangements and escape routes of closing schools and so on.