MUSCAT, Jul 28 (Reuters): It is back to school for the Indian community schools kids. Past week has seen most of the Indian community schools in the Sultanate reopening after the nearly two month summer break.

But there is a disappointed set of parents who feel the schools have opened when the summer is not yet over.

According to a parent, Manjula Gumma, this is just not fair.

“All the Indian schools in the capital and most schools in Oman have summer vacation from the last week of May to the last week of July. As we all know, it is hottest during the months of July and August and Indian students have to go to school during this time,” Manjula complained.

She also adds that there are many parents working in local schools, governmental organisations whose leave schedules do not coincide with that of their children.

“We feel it would be better if the vacation schedule can be changed so that schools reopen in the month of September. This will be in line with the local Omani schools, International schools and Indian schools in the Gulf region,” she says. Another parent Shalini Ramesh too agrees with her.

For the last four years she has not been able to holiday with her kids because she works in a local educational institution that closes only in the end of July and opens in September.

“But most importantly it is very hard to see our children coming back home completely drained out,” she says.

Both say the school authorities should look closely into this matter.

Infact though it couldn’t be confirmed it is believed that a memorandum to this effect was presented to the board of directors.

A reader of Times of Oman, Abdulla P. from Rustaq, too had raised the pertinent question of all the educational institutions, including government schools and colleges, private institutions and universities closing for summer vacation in the months of July and August and only the Indian schools opening in the peak of summer.

It may be noted that most of the schools in the GCC countries too are closed in July and August which are the peak summer months in the region. In Oman only Indian School Darsait opens in the second week of August.

“Why does only the Indian schools in Oman close for summer vacation in the last week of May and reopen in the second week of July,” he asks.

During this season the temperature raises even upto 50 degree Celsius in the mid afternoon.

“It is ruthless on the part of the authorities to ask the students to attend classes in this scorching heat while all other students here are on vacation.

Moreover, in most of the schools, the air conditioners are not in proper working condition. The vacations of the parents working in government or private institutions do not coincide with those of their wards studying in Indian schools.

“Hence I request the concerned authorities to look into the matter seriously and reschedule the summer vacation for the month of July and August from next year onwards,” he said.

School authorities say the decision lies on changing the school schedule is with the board governing the schools.

“There could be technical issues in rescheduling the school,” they said.