The Bengal government will review the length of summer vacation in its schools following an outpouring of social media outrage over the almost two-month break.

A number of people had written to the effect “first open your schools” in response to a Facebook post by education minister Partha Chatterjee on Monday seeking suggestions on how to “achieve higher excellence” in education.

“We had extended the duration of summer vacation almost up to June 30. The leave that was granted to the schools because of cyclonic storm Fani was clubbed with the summer vacation,” the minister said at Bikash Bhavan on Tuesday.

“We will review the decision so that the duration of the vacation does not exceed the usual period. We are also in touch with the meteorological department to find out when the monsoon will arrive.”

This year the extended summer vacation started on May 3 and was to continue till June 30.

The vacation usually starts on May 20 at government and government-aided schools and continues till June 10.

Chatterjee’s statement follows suggestions on Facebook from a number of guardians that the duration of the vacation be curtailed.

Metro reported on Tuesday that Chatterjee was flooded with posts after he had sought suggestions “to achieve higher excellence in our education system” via Facebook on Monday evening.

“First you withdraw the two months’ vacation in the schools. This is setting a bad precedent among the students. Many students will quit Bengali-medium schools and join English- medium ones because of this,” read a comment.

Another guardian wrote: “End the summer vacation immediately.”

A third guardian wrote: “I am from Jalpaiguri... till today the weather is fine... please reconsider your decision regarding summer vacation... at least for our district”.

Following the deluge of posts, the minister wrote back: “Everyone, listen, regarding school’s summer break issue, it has already drawn my attention. We will look into this matter immediately.”

An official in the education department said ever since the extended summer vacation was announced, Chatterjee had come under attack from teachers and guardians. Several teachers’ associations had alleged that the decision, announced during the polls (on May 2), was aimed at attracting votes.

Many of them alleged the department did not bother to check whether the decision would come in the way of completing the syllabus and holding tests on time.

Another official said: “The setbacks in the Lok Sabha polls has made the Trinamul Congress realise that the grievances of the teachers and the guardians could no longer be ignored. So, the decision to review the summer vacation was taken overnight.”

Chatterjee said chief minister Mamata Banerjee had requested him to review the decision.

“Many students had also requested me to reduce the period of the vacation. A formal decision will be taken after consulting the chief minister. I am also in touch with the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education on this issue,” Chatterjee said.