Patna, May 16: There was no relief from heat for some students in the city despite the district magistrate’s (DM’s) directive yesterday to keep all schools in the city closed because of the prevalent heat wave conditions.

Students of Ishan International Public School, St MG Public School, International School and DAV, BSEB, had to attend classes today. Many unaffiliated schools across the city were also open.

“We were not aware of the directive,” said F. Hasan, director, International School.

He added: “The school was open only for a little while today. It will be closed from tomorrow.”

The principal of DAV, BSEB, was not available for comments. But sources said the students were given assignments and holiday homework before the classes were suspended.

DM Sanjay Kumar Singh said: “The district administration issued the order to close down schools from today keeping in view the prevalent heat wave condition. If any school was unaware of the directive and was open today, no action will be taken against it. But schools will not be permitted to conduct classes from tomorrow.”

Parents and school authorities were, however, caught on the backfoot by this decision of the district administration.

DAV, Khagaul, principal D.K. Ghosh said it was good that the schools were asked to close because of the prevalent heat wave conditions but the district administration should have given the school authorities some notice before issuing the directive.

“Before giving such an instruction, the school authorities should be given at least two days’ time. We can prepare in advance for the vacations and give assignments to the students before closing for holidays,” added Ghosh.

Anjali Sahay, whose son is a student of a reputed city school, was also of the same opinion.

“The district administration should give the schools and the children a couple of days’ notice. Most of us were not aware that the schools were supposed to be closed from today. We learnt about it only at the bus stop. That was really a problem,” she added.

The DM, however, said, schools need not wait for the last day to give homework and assignments.

“Why wait for the last day to give students homework? But if any school has been unable to give homework to the students because of the decision of the district administration, they should put it up on the school website from where the children can download it. Everything is computerised these days,” Singh said.

He added that schools would not be allowed to take extra sessions for the senior classes during the holidays.

Besides the district administration, the state human resource development department had also issued an order to suspend classes in all the schools across the state after meeting chief minister Nitish Kumar late last evening.

The summer vacations in most schools in the state started on May 14. It was supposed to start from today at Patna Central School.

Some schools that were supposed to close later also brought forward their holidays following the directive from the district administration. For instance, St Michael’s High School was supposed to close on May 22. But it closed for summer vacations today, as did Don Bosco Academy.

Students, of course, are happy with the early vacation.

“I am happy that the holidays have come forward. The heat makes it difficult to stay at home. How will we go to school?” said Kajal Fitkiriwala, a student of Radiant International School.