Srinagar: All educational institutes, including government and private schools, reopened on Monday after remaining closed for about six months in this summer capital and other parts of Kashmir valley.
All educational institutes were closed on August 5 after restrictions and shutdown due to abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A marred normal life in the valley, followed by announcement of customary three-month long winter break by the government.
Most schools in the city and other parts of the valley were abuzz with students, who were wearing colorful uniforms and many parents could be seen accompanying their children to their respective educational institutes. Children alongwith their parents could also be seen waiting at bus stands for schools busses early in the morning.
The students were eager to get back to schools after staying home for about six-months. “I am really excited to meet my friends after over six months. Hopefully this year will be peaceful and we will be able to attend our classes,” Yahya Bhat, a class 12th student, told UNI.
Bhat said that he was really happy to meet his class mates some of whom live in other districts of the valley. “I can only hope that we will be quickly able to compensate for the losses in our education last year,” he added.
The timing for the schools falling within the Srinagar’s municipal limits will be 1000 hrs to 1500 hrs while in rest of Kashmir division timing will be 1030 hrs to 1530 hrs.
Director School Education Kashmir, Mohammad Younis Malik said that ‘last year students proved their metal and now it is our responsibility to extend our support to them and redouble efforts to get their syllabus completed well in time’.
He said the field Officers were instructed to visit schools regularly to monitor the follow up of academic planner for timely accomplishment of set targets.
The government ordered closure of all educational institutions on August 5, when centre scrapped Article 370 and 35 A, besides divided the state into two Union Territories. However, educational institutions reopened in winter capital, Jammu and Ladakh after about two weeks in a phased manner but remained closed in the valley.
After remaining closed for more than a month, government ordered reopening of primary and middle schools first followed by High and Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) and on October 9 colleges in the valley. However, students stay away and did not attended their classes in private and government institutions as parents were not ready to send their children to schools due to uneasy situation in the valley, including Srinagar.
Many private schools rented rooms in different localities to conduct examination for students while others promoted students on the basis of home assignments submitted by children.
But, despite schools remaining deserted, the Board of School Education (BOSE) held examinations for class 10th and 12 in the last week of October. Later, winter break was announced by the authorities.
