By: Ahmad Shabir
Anantnag: With the continuous closure of educational institutions across J&K in wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the parents, who have enrolled their wards in private schools in urban areas, said that their children remain the worst sufferers of the prevalent situation.
Parents of the children studying in various prestigious schools speaking to Precious Kashmir asked the government to reopen the schools so that the education does not suffer anymore.
Government after easing Covid restrictions a few months ago, asked the teachers of government schools to start community classes in their respective villages. Private schools in rural areas, according to reports, too are functioning normally.
Precious Kashmir has learnt that the private schools in rural areas are going ahead with the normal functioning of the classes in their respective schools.
“I have been receiving calls from many rural areas about the functioning of the private schools but now, I am ignoring all those complaints. Children enrolled in government schools are being taught physically for the last two months why should we target only private schools,” said a zonal level official of the education department from Pulwama.
According to both the parents and officials, the children hailing from rural areas, studying in prestigious schools of urban areas suffer the most. Though these private schools also had started community classes but most of the students hailing from distant villages were not able to attend.
These schools are now teaching their students through online mode but parents say the online mode of teaching for small kids is almost a useless exercise.
“What can the children of primary classes learn through online mode? To make them learn, they need individual attention in the classroom. Teaching small kids through online mode is making fun of education. Besides, online education is badly affecting their eyes,” said Mohammad Syed, whose son and daughter study in class 2nd and 4th in a prestigious school in Anantnag.
Many parents questioned the continuous closure of schools at a time when all other sectors are functioning normally.
“Markets and tourist places are thronged by thousands every day with no regard for Covid SOPs. Passenger vehicles ferry the people like cattle but one wonders why only schools have been shut,” said another parent, Mohammad Iqbal.
“Is Corona virus hiding in school buildings only?” he questioned.
However, Precious Kashmir attempted to reach Director School Education, Kashmir for his version, but couldn’t get materialized as he did not respond to the repeated phone calls.
