New Delhi, Jan 11 (Inditop.com) In view of the biting cold in the capital, all government and government-aided schools in the city were Monday ordered to be shut until Jan 16. The order affects pre-primary to Class 8.

“Keeping in view the requests from the parents, the government has decided to close down the schools to safeguard interests of the children. Schools would be opened Jan 18,” Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said in a statement here.

“Pre-primary, primary and middle classes (upto Class 8) in all Delhi government and government-aided schools under the education directorate would be closed Jan 12-16,” he said.

There are over 920 government and 213 government-aided schools in the national capital.

The minister said that the over 1,200 unaided recognized schools (public schools) under the Delhi government have also been advised to close down.

“Schools recognized by Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment Board were also advised to follow the instructions in the interest of the children,” Lovely said.