May 31: In light of rising temperatures, schools in Birendranagar will be closed starting Sunday. The Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (PABSON), the umbrella organization of private and boarding schools in the country, has decided to close schools for a week beginning June 2, citing the scorching heat.

The maximum temperature in Birendranagar was recorded at 40 degrees Celsius on Friday. PABSON Surkhet President Ved Prakash Dhakal stated that they made a collective decision to shut the institutional schools for a week, as the extreme heat could affect the children's health.

The Birendranagar Municipality is also considering closing community schools within the municipality due to the scorching heat, said Dheerendra Sharma Lamsal, Chief of the Municipality's Education Section.

Lamsal, however, said that an official decision has not been made yet. "We will close the community schools within the municipality from Sunday if the temperature continues to rise as it has been. However, the schools will not be closed if there is a respite from the heat due to rain," he added.

Meanwhile, the immunization campaign against polio, underway since May 26, is likely to be affected by the school closure. The campaign is scheduled to run until June 8. The immunization program is being conducted at the local level in Surkhet under two phases in coordination with the schools.

The program will run in Birendranagar, Gurbhakot, and Panchapuri municipalities, and in Simta, Barahatal, and Chaukune rural municipalities from June 4 to 8. (RSS)