In Valley, tuition centres shut for 90 days

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 22

Syed Altaf Bukhari, Minister of Education, on Sunday ordered closure of all private coaching centres across Kashmir for 90 days in view of the ongoing protests against the Kathua rape-murder case.

The minister said after deliberations with principals and other officials concerned, the government had come to a conclusion that private coaching centres were a distraction for students.

“We will come up with the formal order in the next few days,” the minister said.

“Principals of schools say quality education is suffering because of these centres. If students have any issue, they can talk to their school authorities. Schools provide best education to students,” the minister said.

He also appealed to parents to counsel their children against holding protests.

The minister made the announcement while chairing a meeting of chief education officers, zonal education officers and principals of higher secondary schools regarding the current academic scenario.

An official present at the meeting said action would be taken against centres that do not obey the order.

“This is being done so that students do not take to the streets. The minister ordered that the instructions should be passed on to all district administrations. He also asked the Department of School Education to make a list of teachers who are working in private coaching centres,” the official said.

He said the decision has been taken in view of widespread student protests over the Kathua rape-murder case, which has been affecting the smooth functioning of educational institutions.

On Saturday, the minister advised protesting students to “control their emotions” and resume their classes.

The minister had warned that if the present situation continued, the state government would be forced to close down educational institutions. “The security of students is our paramount concern,” he had said.