The scorching heat over the past few weeks across Tamil Nadu has forced the state government to extend the summer vacations for students by a week. The Education Minister on Friday announced that schools in the state will reopen on June 7 instead of June 1.  

Addressing the media in Ambattur, Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan said that they have postponed the re-opening of government and aided schools to June 7.

Earlier, the Teachers’ Federation has requested the government to extend the summer break for students and teachers till June 15 owing to the heatwave. “We are happy with the decision. The teachers will now be coming to school on June 7 but many of them are coming earlier voluntarily, to help in the admission process,” said Rangarajan, General Secretary, Teachers’ Federation.

It’s been a sweltering summer for Tamil Nadu, that is already grappling with drought. The mercury touched a 15-year high in Chennai on May 18 with temperatures peaking to 43.6 degrees Celsius at Meenambakkam. Places like Thiruthani have also breached 45 degrees Celsius this summer.

All the schools in the state were shut by April 21, one week ahead of the summer break due to high temperature.