Schools reopen in J&K, but few students attend

Srinagar: Over 1,000 primary schools reopened across Kashmir on Monday, for the first time in two weeks, as part of a slew of measures taken by the government to bring life back on the rails in the Valley. However, as was admitted by the authorities, only a small number of students and less than half of the teaching and other staff had turned up. In several cases, not a single student attended the school even though the local teaching staff was available. For instance, about a dozen schools were open in southern Shopian district, but attendance of students was zero. Likewise, only a few students turned up in the schools that were declared open in the northern Bandipore district, as local teachers and other staff had reported to duty.

In Anantnag district, 89 out of 1,100 schools had opened, but only 39 students attended their classes. In neighbouring Pulwama district too, the local staff was available but the attendance of students was very thin. In Budgam, four to 12 students turned up in each of the 16 schools which were made functional.

In Srinagar, where 196 out of 500 schools were made functional and 30-40 per cent staff reported for duty, there were hardly any students present.

As per the statistics made available by state director of school education Muhammad Younis Malik at a press conference here, the scene in the schools that reopened in the remaining districts of the Valley — Ganderbal, Kulgam, Baramulla and Kupwara — was not any different. This correspondent, during visits to half a dozen schools in and around Srinagar, found one to three teachers had reported for duty but there

were no students present. Five other schools were locked. The management of three Christian missionary schools in the city, which also have primary sections, said they are ready to reopen these but they also know that parents would not send their wards to the schools in the prevailing circumstances.

However, Mr Malik said the presence of the staff at the primary schools was an encouraging sign and that the government had decided to also reopen all middle level schools across the Valley from Wednesday.

The director of information, Syed Sehrish Asgar, said the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar had recorded 98 per cent attendance while the same is “picking up rapidly” in other government offices. DIG Police V.K. Birdi said only minor incidents of violence had occurred in some parts of Srinagar on Monday, while no law and order issue was faced in the state’s Jammu region. He urged people not to pay heed to rumours. Ms Sehrish said essential services were working “continuously” in the Valley and elsewhere in J&K.