Sources said that in the first academic semester, 120 school days should be operational. The first term exams are due on October 19-28 which will be followed by the Diwali vacation till November 18. (File Photo)TO MAKE up for the days lost in the heavy downpour leading to an emergency situation, the District Education Officers of the six south Gujarat districts have directed schools to make up for the loss by working on public holidays.This is to comply with the 120 mandatory working days in the first semester which began just over a month ago.Heavy downpour was witnessed on Thursday and Friday in South Gujarat. Many roads in the urban and rural areas in the region had been affected, prompting the government to announce a holiday on both days. Even in Ahmedabad, which was badly affected by the heavy rainfall, schools and colleges were closed on both days.Keeping the present situation in mind and acting on the instructions of District Collectors of affected districts in South Gujarat, the District Education officers (DEO) of respective districts – Surat, Tapi, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad and Dang declared holiday in the schools as a precautionary measure.As per the new notification issued by the District Education Officers of these districts in South Gujarat on Thursday evening, the education affected by the two-day holiday will be covered in the next two public holidays. Thus, in the next two forthcoming public holidays, schools and colleges will remain operational, and students have to attend classes and cover the pending syllabus.Surat District Education Officer Bhagirathsinh Parmar told The Indian Express, “The education of students has been affected due to the heavy downpour and holidays declared on Thursday and Friday. In order to ensure that the students do not suffer, a decision has been taken to keep the schools functioning in the coming two public holidays. It is up to the schools to decide which two holidays they will select to keep the schools working. The school has to inform the students early and declare the holidays for the coming two holidays.”He added, “The two public holidays lost will be made up by the same number of local holidays except festival holidays, after the end of the monsoon season.”Story continues below this adSources said that in the first academic semester, 120 school days should be operational. The first term exams are due on October 19-28 which will be followed by the Diwali vacation till November 18.However, on Thursday morning, many students were unaware about the holiday declared by DEO or school authorities, as a result of which, large numbers of students reached schools in Surat city and District areas. After learning about the holidays, some students returned to their homes on their own while, in some cases, parents reached the school and took their kids back home. Parents have requested school authorities for advance intimation of such holidays declared in emergency situations so that students don’t end up coming to school risking their lives. On Thursday, children of a school were rescued from a bus stranded in flood waters in Ahmedabad.Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs. Expertise Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs. Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including: Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives. Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress. Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli). Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram