Parents sceptical over opening of educational institutes in Kashmir

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 17

While BVR Subramanyam, Chief Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday said schools will be opened in Valley by the end of this week, there is an uncertainty over the same due to fear of protests and continuous communication clampdown.

It has been 13 days since all educational institutions in Kashmir are shut and massive restrictions on civilian movement is in place. While there is no news about the opening of colleges and higher secondary schools yet, the authorities have decided to ease restrictions and open schools for lower primary classes in a phased manner from Monday.

Meanwhile, parents are worried that they cannot send children to schools in such a situation where they cannot be informed about their well being.

“Until we are sure that everything is normal in Kashmir and phones are working, we cannot send our children to schools so that the government can show normalcy in their name,” said Samia, whose two children study at a private school in Srinagar in classes III and VI.

The education of children has faced a back seat in the current turmoil, when people are struggling for basic requirements like medicines, food and phone connectivity. The announcement that schools will be opened at the end of the week seems unlikely in the current circumstances.

“Clashes have been reported in many places in old Srinagar, how can we send children to school in such circumstances? There is a lot of uncertainty yet,” said Syed Shahnawaz, another parent.

While the government said they would open the schools area-wise, it has not been announced yet as to which areas will be opened first.

“They do not care about the future of children in Kashmir, otherwise they would not have put such blockade in place,” said a Class XII student, Saima Shakoor.