Middle schools open in Valley; students stay away from classes

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 21

On the first day of the opening of middle schools in Kashmir, the attendance continued to be thin in most schools despite the government claims on Tuesday that the attendance of students was increasing since Monday when they were opened for the first time after two weeks.

Many schools continued to be locked on Wednesday. Earlier, the primary schools were opened on Monday but in past three days, students had stayed away from classes and most of the schools witnessed zero attendance.

A public school in the Karanagar locality was locked on Wednesday, so were a couple of schools in the Raj Bagh locality, where most of the private schools were located. The school administration and parents were apprehensive about sending their children to the schools fearing their safety in the current Kashmir scenario.

“The government is pressuring schools to open so that there is a rush of buses in the streets but they have forgotten that the situation in Kashmir is not conducive to put the lives of children at risk,” said Zubair Ahmad, a parent.

On Tuesday, while the government spokesperson, Rohit Kansal, claimed that many schools were open in Kashmir and the attendance had increased compared to the first day, he refused to divulge the names of the schools which were open.

“We did go to the school, but we told the principal in the meeting that we should not risk the lives of children and we should not open the school yet,” said a private school teacher.

A few top private schools had opened their administrative sections on Wednesday but the schools buses and students were not seen due to safety issues as streets in Kashmir continue to be manned by thousands of paramilitary troopers. At one top private school, just two students had come.

School admn, parents apprehensive

A public school in the Karanagar locality was locked on Wednesday, so were a couple of schools in the Raj Bagh locality, where most of the private schools were located. The school administration and parents were apprehensive about sending their children to the schools fearing their safety in the current Kashmir scenario.