The schools are to reopen on Monday

Rajbiraj, December 19

Community schools in Saptakoshi Municipality have closed for five days after cold wave affected life in Saptari.

As many as 11 community schools, including secondary schools in the municipality, have been closed till Monday, effective from today.

Education Department Chief at the municipality Ram Dev Chaudhary said the decision was made after few students attended classes and the cold wave directly affected students’ health. He said most students, who were studying in schools, were from Dalit and poor background.

“We have decided to close the schools aiming to save the children from cold as the children did not have warm clothes,” he added.

Students in private and other community schools of other districts attending classes also have fallen ill due to excessive cold. Thick fog since early morning has affected life. With the cold increasing, activities in the main market places of the district have also declined. The markets also open late in the morning and close early due to the cold. Excessive cold has hit children, elderly citizens and daily wages workers.

Health workers said the number of cold-related patients have also increased in health facilities. They added that patients suffering from common cold, fever and asthma, among other maladies, had reached the health facilties for treatment.