Fee waiver orders govt’s attempt to hide it’s failures in controlling COVID19 spread : PSAJK

Srinagar/April,9: Calling on the administration to focus on the battle against the spread of COVID-19, Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) today termed the recent move by Mayor SMC and certain officials in the administration to publicly discuss ill-planned fee waiver strategy as diversionary tactics to hide their failure in controlling COVID-19 spread.
The Association said that at the time when all of our energies should be focussed on controlling the spread of COVID-19, Srinagar Municipal Corporation Mayor shoots a letter to Deputy Commissioner Srinagar demanding an ill-conceived fee waiver plan be put into place. “We fail to understand what is going on in the minds of people at the helm of affairs. World is battling of the biggest health tragedies and in our part of world some are happy to play politics amidst it. Perhaps they know that schools are soft targets, they garners more news coverage and will help them appear some sort of saviours to general public,” said G N Var president PSAJK. “We see it as a diversionary tactic aimed to hide their failure, which is evident everywhere. They hope nobody will question them about how they are dealing with this epidemic situation.”
The Association termed the letter and its content as a way to befool people and an attempt to take away attention from the inefficiencies of the administration. “For almost a month our educational institutes are shut down and we are in a lockdown. Our Association was one of the first to offer our schools, their vehicles and other resources to government to use in the fight against coronavirus. We started a charity programme to help families in distress, besides trying to teach students at home. Every section of the society is doing its bit to help ward off the disease,” said Var. “Now at a time when there should be cooperation among various officials and civil society, certain people try to divide us by issuing such orders in public domain. It is just to create anxiety and score some brownie points.”
The Association questioned the motive of concerned persons to issue such letters in public domain and tweeting about it. “What were they trying to achieve? Are they trying to garner votes like in the times of elections?,” said Var. “No one knows what is in store for us in future. Economies are tumbling and world order is changing. Do they think we will remain immune to it. Our first motive should be to save lives and all other things come later, when we return to normal life. If we remain alive only then can we think of schools, fee, classes etc.”
The Association said it is always ready to discuss every genuine point at a proper time. “Let the situation stabilise and then we can decide everything. What is the hurry? Those who talk of fee waiver didn’t say anything during the time when we were locked in for seven months,” said Var. “Our society in which schools management and people are equal parts, have gone through much worse and come out strong. We know what is better for them and the same will be done at the appropriate time. As of now all of our energy should be focussed on fighting the battle.”
The Association said that if the concerned administrators are really concerned for the general public then why don’t they vociferously raise the issue of restoration of 4G internet services so that our students could be able to get online education.