Despite the severe heatwave, government schools in northern India’s Bihar remain open. Amidst this ordeal, schoolchildren are fainting due to the heat, and teachers are also distressed.

The incident took place at a school in Sheikhpura district on May 29.

Visuals showed in the sweltering heat, children were fainting inside the school premises. To provide relief, their heads were being massaged with oil, and they were being gently lifted into rickshaws. Water was being sprinkled on their faces to revive them. Subsequently, they were admitted to the hospital, where they received glucose drips for hydration and recovery.

According to reports, nearly 60 students across various government schools in Bihar have fainted due to the extreme heat, requiring medical attention. While fans are running in classrooms, students are unable to concentrate on studies, resorting to using their textbooks as makeshift fans.

Students are demanding either the installation of air conditioning or the closure of schools, stating that studying in such extreme heat is not feasible. In Patna district’s flood-affected areas, six students have fallen ill due to the heat, undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, in Sheikhpura, where life is bustling amidst the heatwave, students fainting during school hours have become a common occurrence.

Concerned parents have taken to the streets, demanding the withdrawal of the government’s decision to keep schools open. In Utkramit Middle School in Mankaul village of Araria district, chaos erupted during morning prayers as more than seven students fainted and collapsed on the ground. Two students were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Upon hearing the news, parents gathered at the school, some in tears, urging for its closure.

Traffic disruptions due to protests have been reported, amplifying the urgency of the situation. It has been reported that there are no exit fans in the school rooms, causing the entire space to fill up with gas as the heat intensifies, exacerbating the condition of students.

The situation calls for immediate action from authorities to address the health and safety concerns of students amidst this relentless heatwave.