Mirwaiz pushes for 5-day school week in J&K for kids’ well-being

Responding to a question regarding the proposal before the government to examine a five-day school week in J&K, Mirwaiz welcomed the move and said the wellbeing of children must remain at the centre of the education system

Chief cleric of Srinagar’s grand mosque, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Sunday, advocated for a five-day school week in Jammu and Kashmir for a healthy and balanced life for children.

Mirwaiz said that some countries across the globe are now going for a three-day weekend off. (HT File)

Mirwaiz spoke to the media after witnessing the overwhelming participation of children in a ‘Grand Seerah Competition’ held at Jama Masjid, Srinagar, where around 2,800 boys and girls from religious schools (maktabs) across districts took part.

Responding to a question regarding the proposal before the government to examine a five-day school week in J&K, Mirwaiz welcomed the move and said the wellbeing of children must remain at the centre of the education system.

“Our children need time not only to study, but also to rest, spend time with their families, play and grow in a healthy and balanced manner. Their mental health and overall wellbeing must remain at the heart of education,” he said.

He said that the focus should not be only on education and syllabus completion but their overall development. “They should get time in their homes to be with their families and to play. They should also get time to go into their communities. They should be able to participate in community programmes, otherwise there is so much stress of education on them to complete the syllabus and go to tuitions,” he said.

Mirwaiz said that some countries across the globe are now going for a three-day weekend off.

“Across the world there are two days off. In fact, some European countries have shifted to a three-day weekend off. The government should go ahead with this proposal so that students come to schools with a fresh mind on Monday after spending Saturday and Sunday at home,” he said.

Mirwaiz said it was a beautiful and heartening sight to see the historic Jama Masjid filled with young children eager to learn about the blessed life and teachings of the last prophet of Islam.

He appreciated the efforts of Maktab Maseeh-ul-Ummah in collaboration with the Mirwaiz Foundation, for organising the programme. “At a time when our children and youth are facing many social, emotional and moral challenges, it is extremely important that they remain connected with the seerah of the prophet, which offers guidance for every aspect of life,” Mirwaiz said.