St Edmund’s School Shillong, Meghalaya has declared holiday for Euro 2020 semi-final and final matches.
In a decision which could be a dream come true for many football lovers especially the students, principal of St. Edmund’s School Br. Solomon Morris on June 5, notified the parents, teachers and students that the schools would remain closed for the semi finals and final of the ongoing Euro 2020 football championship.
In the notification, the principal wrote, ''Dear parents, teachers and boys, I want to watch the semi finals and finals of the Euro Cup. And I am 100 percent sure, you are all looking forward to it. Let us enjoy the experience, our online class will resume on 13th July. Enjoy and God bless. All I am rooting for Italy as my team bowed out in the quarter finals”.
Speaking to the Imphal Free Press on Sunday, Solomon said the school authority is thrilled, knowing that the boys, parents, teacher and families have been enjoying the semi finals and are ready for the finals without having to get up early for their classes.
In the notification, the principal quoted the remarks/ saying of Argentina footballer Lionel Messi which states that, “the best decisions are not made with your mind but with your instinct. The more familiar with a situation you become, the quicker, the better your decision will be”
Solomon said, “I operate on instinct sometimes. The Euro Cup brought so much joy and cheer to our children and indeed to so many across the world. North-Eastern states love their football and young people follow the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A and they know their international footballer”.
The principal said he has school children who wear T-Shirts donning the names of international footballers and as such if he remains insensitive to the interests of students and holds classes while the games are on (pretty late at night, which makes getting up early quite a challenge), that would be a tragedy.
Solomon said, “Imagine parents sitting down to watch the matches at midnight and children being sent to bed early so that they can get up early for 'online classes. I think they deserve to enjoy these life time events”.
The principal also told this reporter that the students can always catch up on studies but to experience the live matches with their families, is an experience they will never get. Families bond during these occasions is far more important than one or two classes they would have missed, said Solomon. The principal added that the teachers would also surely also love to watch the match.
While every person is stuck in their homes during the pandemic with very little to rejoice over some entertainment, why not enjoy football and bring some sanity to our lives, Solomon added.
