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Kashmir education department mulls reopening of schools next month
Top officials said the department would soon take a call on skipping morning assembly and holding shift-wise classes
To compensate for the academic loss caused by Covid-19 outbreak, the school education department is mulling to reopen schools across Kashmir in June, amid the virus threat.
“We are planning to reopen the schools in the first week of June to avert further loss of the studies,” school education principal secretary Asgar Hassan Samoon told the Hindustan Times.
He said the administration has ordered complete renovation of all schools in Kashmir. “We will soon start whitewashing and fumigation of the school buildings and the same will be completed by the end of this month,” he said.
“Be it turmoil or any other natural calamity, the student community of Kashmir has always suffered. We are trying to bring things back on track,” Samoon added.
Another official said the department was planning to take a call on skipping morning assembly and holding shift-wise classes. “A decision in this regard will be out soon,” he said.
The decision to reopen schools has been taken in view of interruptions caused during online classes due to the poor internet speed, the official said.
In his recent meeting with education officials, J&K Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu directed them to review the department’s functioning and the conduct of online classes, besides distribution of dry ration for midday meals among schoolchildren.
Following the LGs directions, an official communiqué was also sent to the UT school education director stating that all government school buildings should be whitewashed before their opening.
Samoon on Wednesday urged all private schools to defer fee collections from students. “It is a tough times for the parents and students,” he said.
“We have distributed 60,000 books and 1,200 educational tablets among the students not having access to mobile phones,” he said adding, “It is being done to enhance their virtual learning experience.”
Mushtaq Ahmad, a parent from Baramulla district, said it was not the right time to open schools. “This will put the lives of our children at risk,” he said.
Kashmir private schools association president G N Var opined that schools should be reopened in the valley. “One is not sure how long will the virus scare continue, but we can’t see more academic loss of students. We have suffered it in past as well,” he said.
“Social distancing will be maintained, sanitisers and masks will be made available to the students for their safety,” Var said.
When asked about school fee, Var said, “Depositing fee is mandatory in schools. We can’t skip this option. But an exception can be made for poor students only,” he said.
