The Times of India           23.12.2013

AMC may announce holidays on Dec 24, 26 for its schools today

AURANGABAD: Following in on the footsteps of Zilla Parishad, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is also planning to declare holidays on December 24 and 26 for the students in its schools on the occasion of Christmas. However, the civic body could not take a decision till Sunday.

Education officer in AMC A M Shaikh said there was no hurdle in declaring the holidays. "We are looking forward to announce it soon. But the senior officers in the civic body have not yet approved the proposal," he said, adding, "Nevertheless, the announcement is likely to be made on Monday."

On Saturday, Shaikh said the civic body had given only 19 holidays during Diwali against its quota of 21. "We are now planning to compensate," he said. If the AMC approves the proposal, the students and teachers would get holidays on three consecutive days on December 24, 25 and 26.

Shaikh said various teachers' organisation and parents had been demanding for the holidays. He said in an ideal situation, the AMC schools remain close only on the day of Christmas. "But as the AMC schools were closed only for 19 days during Diwali, the demand for holidays has been raised prominently," Shaikh said.

Recently, city-based organisation Maharashtra Rajya Urdu Shikshan Sanghtna also urged the municipal body to declare holidays on these two days. Shaikh Zuber Taj Mohammed, president of the organisation, said, "According to Right to Education Act, 2009, the authorities should give 21-day holiday during Diwali, but the schools were closed for only 19 days. Besides, the Zilla Parishad has already approved the holidays. The civic body should also declare it as early as possible," he said.

The AMC's announcement is expected to bring smiles on the faces of more than 21,000 students of 78 schools run by the civic body.

Meanwhile, a teacher of an AMC-run school said on the condition of anonymity that the civic body should take a decision on such an issue quickly. "The students, their parents and teachers are still in a state of confusion," she said.