SCHOOLS IN VALLEY TO REOPEN TODAY
SRINAGAR : Schools in Kashmir Valley will reopen on Monday after over two-month winter break, officials said and hoped the next academic session will be free of disruptions following an extended closure of educational institutes last year after the nullification of Article 370 in August.
› Everything is in place. Parents and the civil society have contributed while teachers and students are motivated.
MOHAMMAD YOUNIS MALIK, school education director (Kashmir)
SRINAGAR : Schools in Kashmir Valley will reopen on Monday after over two-month winter break, officials said and hoped the next academic session will be free of disruptions following an extended closure of educational institutes last year after the nullification of Article 370 in August.
“Everything is ready and everyone is positive about reopening of the schools. Parents and the civil society have contributed while teachers as well as students are motivated about it,” said school education director (Kashmir) Mohammad Younis Malik. He added schools within Srinagar’s municipal limits will be functional from 10 am to 3 pm and those elsewhere in Kashmir from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Students and parents said they were looking forward to the reopening of the schools to make up for the loss of the academic session last year. “Politically and
economically Jammu & Kashmir has lost a lot since August. Our kids lost educationally and now it will be prudent to arrest the further loss by sending our wards to schools,” said Haseena Maqbool, a Srinagar-resident and a mother of two school-going children. “I have kept the uniforms of my children ready. They also had a haircut. I just hope that things remain calm.”
Weeks after the nullification of Artcile 370, the government announced the reopening of schools in areas where restrictions on the people’s movement were removed. But most parents avoided sending their children to schools citing the uncertain situation and communications blackout. Teachers returned to work but students mostly stayed away from schools until December 10, when the government announced winter vacations even as examinations were held on time in October and November. Officials said teachers returned to schools from Saturday ahead of the reopening and many have been directed to beautify their institutes with balloons and buntings. “We are preparing for a warm welcome to our students. They should feel enthusiastic on their first day at school after the winter break,” said Saqib Ahmad, a government school teacher in Srinagar.
Malik said the students were upbeat because of the good results in exams despite the situation. “We tried our best for remedial teaching. During winter, we conducted tutorials at winter coaching camps. Some 2 lakh students attended them,” he said.