Assam: Students faint due to heatwave; authorities asked to advance school timings

Guwahati, June 3 (IANS) As a severe heatwave condition has engulfed Assam since the last few days, schoolchildren have been facing difficulties in attending morning prayers and classes.

At least two incidents have been reported in the last couple of days wherein students fainted in the midst of the scorching heat.

Meanwhile, the School Education Department on Saturday asked all the district authorities to advance the school timings to deal with the heatwave conditions.

A few students at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed High School in Biswanath district fainted during the Saturday morning prayers.

According to an education officer from the district, the students were rushed to the Biswanath Ghat Hospital from where they were shifted to the Biswanath Chariali sub-divisional civil hospital.

While they are all out of danger now, the parents worried about their wards given the hot and muggy weather.

In a related incident, at least 11 students fainted at Sonitpur Jatiya Vidyalaya in Tezpur on Friday due to excessive heat in the classrooms. The situation became chaotic when pupils in classes VII and VIII complained of feeling uncomfortable and few of them fell unconscious in the afternoon. They were admitted to a hospital in Tezpur.

State Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said that the district authorities have been asked to change the school timings if required, considering the heatwave.

"Due to the current heatwave condition, the School Education Department has instructed all the district commissioners to advance school hours to 7:30 a.m. if required, depending upon the district's situation," he said.

The Nagaon district administration has already issued an order and advanced school timings.

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