Ill-Fated Students Of JK

Azad Hussain
Suspension of class work in all education institutions of Jammu and Kashmir in the back drop of COVD19 outbreak is a necessary precautionary measure to limit the spread of this deadly infectious disease. However looking it from the perspective of students loss, they always seem to be worst sufferers due to frequent closures of schools, to avoid untoward circumstances, over last many years. A routine of thin instructional period for every academic session in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Kashmir has badly affected the education sector in the region. Last year, all the education institutions remained shut, immediately after abrogation of article 370/ change of statehood into UT, on August 5 and reopened after winter vacations on February 24, leaving a gap of six and a half month’s un-instructional period. Now the apprehensions of coronavirus outbreak has again forced authorities to order suspension of class work thereby victimizing the ill-fated students who are considered the future of nation. Here in Kashmir the students have always been pushed to wall whenever any kind of unfavorable circumstance arised leaving no option to fulfill their losses.Each time such unfortunate incidents occur, the schooling is the first victim. The academic session also suffered a huge loss in the year 2016. The schools remained closed for almost seven month’s including three month’s winter break. Later, the government took a decision to give mass promotion to students up to class eighth “to promote them to next higher class without examination”. Before that a mass promotion to students was also given in 2014 after a natural calamity of floods hit the valley and became the cause for closure of schools. In addition to these lengthy closures of education institutions, Kashmir has also witnessed frequent closures of schools for around weeks length each, over years, whenever there happened any incident causing the apprehension that it could bring violence in the region. Over and above this all, in winter zone of Jammu and Kashmir, usually, the schools and colleges get closed in the month of December and reopen in the month of March every year.
Though this time it was necessary but we can’t go on closing down schools all the time. It may ruin our future because today’s students are tomorrow’s nation builders.
We have an experience that some times, due to heavy snowfalls and unending bad weather conditions, government extends winter vacations up to the Mid-March. So under such circumstances when closure of schools would be the first step to avoid any apprehension, what we could expect the future of this region. As, the well beginning is half done, this year, this beginning of students for new session turned to be unwell as the schools couldn’t reopen in a peaceful atmosphere Since decades we have been witnessing violence, human rights violations and now coronavirus threat and subsequently the closure of schools. All concerned, be it the government, education department, teachers, students, parents and most importantly bureaucrats need to take this issue seriously. In this universe, every question has an answer and therefore the question that what kind of measure can help overcome the academic deficiencies too is having some answer. We as a society will have to ponder upon and find that answer. Though this time it was necessary but we can’t go on closing down schools all the time. It may ruin our future because today’s students are tomorrow’s nation builders.
( The author is a teacher by profession. Views are his own, [email protected])