After the closure of schools in Jammu & Kashmir the chaos and confusion over the attendance of teachers at schools triggered by the decision on suspension of class work is not heading to any dead end. The government order is so ambiguous that even the Director School Education Kashmir and the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of valley don’t dare to clarify the government’s stand over the attendance of teachers in valley schools. While undisputed fact is that the attendance of over half a dozen teachers in middle schools and dozens of teachers in high and higher secondary schools in staff rooms from morning to evening could trigger the spread of the deadly cornovirous diseases in valley, the government does not explain its motive of declaring attendance of teachers mandatory while putting a blanket ban on the conduct of class work in schools, colleges and universities. Schools , Colleges and Universities are the centres of teaching learning process which makes the attendance of both the students and teachers but barring the attendance of students and forcing attendance of teachers goes against the very basic spirit of teaching learning process. Though administrative and basic human wisdom demands that government shows equal concerns for the lives of both the students and as well as the teachers but the government tends to impose it unwise decision on teachers just to satisfy its administrative ego. Recently a teacher in his article remarks “we can afford to shut schools frequently and play with the lives of the students but this time it is the case of human lives”. So it is apparently clear that education comes next to health for people of all walks of life and same holds good for both the teachers and as well as the students. It is for the government to take apply its mind while taking a decision on the working of schools.
Though deputy commissioners of some districts have on their own issued categorical orders over the attendance of teachers in schools but most of the deputy commissioners are yet to clear the air on the attendance of teachers in schools and colleges. While in some districts teachers have been asked by the deputy commissioners not to attend schools and colleges, but in most of the districts not only teachers but students too attend schools and colleges and this has been notices in most of the rural areas of North and South Kashmir district.
Unfortunately this time when the schools are closed, the concerned municipalities of cities and towns sanitise public places but not the schools presently shut by the government in view of the cornovirous threat in valley like other parts of the country. Though deputy commissioners of some districts have on their own issued categorical orders over the attendance of teachers in schools but most of the deputy commissioners are yet to clear the air on the attendance of teachers in schools and colleges. While in some districts teachers have been asked by the deputy commissioners not to attend schools and colleges, but in most of the districts not only teachers but students too attend schools and colleges and this has been notices in most of the rural areas of North and South Kashmir district. Better for the government to take a call over the attendance of teachers in schools and colleges at the highest level so that chaos and confusion over the attendance of teachers ends shortly.