Uzma Anwar
The COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by a new virusthat seems have been transmitted from animals to humans. It kills without asking for permissionand have spreads all over the world. No doubt, China is an advanced and largest economy in the world but it too failed to save its countrymen from the wrath. The COVID-19 spread from China to all the continents. Initially, China was a hotspot to this pandemic but now it has devastated many other countries including those who have World’s advanced healthcare facilities such as Spain, Italy, USA and so on.It seems that Italy gave less concentration to this pandemic initially and that becomes the main reason of their highest number of casualties. The pandemic hit not only world economy but many other sectors as well including education, employment and livelihood. Many European countries have taken a number of initiatives to compensate the loss of education, and livelihood, but the same is yet to be taken in India in general and in Jammu and Kashmir in particular. Kashmir have already suffered eight months lockdown since August 5th 2019, when GoI abrogated Article 370 and 35A. The students have already suffered a lot due to that very lockdown as the schools and colleges were shut almost for peak academic eight months. They had not yet recovered from that a new COVID-19 lockdown was imposed. Though, the COVID-19 lockdown is for their own safety but they can’t be distanced from basic fundamental right with regard to education. Moreover, the students can’t study at home using internet because the same facility is also under suspension since August 5th last year. The Government of India in general and that of Jammu and Kashmir in particular need to take extra ordinary steps at least for the sake of education of students who are being indirectly denied their right to education. Kashmir has always been a flashpoint for many reasons. Since 2008, education sector have suffered a lot.Here, I would like to state my own example. During Amarnath Land Row of 2008, I was studying in 8th class and Kashmir remained shut for more than two months. Then, Agitation of 2010, devastating floods of 2014, Turmoil of 2016 that lasted for six months. And now, when I am studying in final year of graduation, I am already witnessing lockdown of more than nine month since August 5th. My education have been severely hit by these strikes and lockdowns, and off course, I have paid a huge cost of my education that can be hardly compensated.
The initiative of mass promotion adopted by government of Jammu and Kashmir in the past is and can never be an alternative. In fact, it makes the repercussions from bad to worst. And now, as the whole world has come to a standstill due to COVID-19, various initiatives can be taken by the respective governments to ensure that education would not suffer. Among such initiatives, online classes, providing free high speed internet access, use of electronic media, etc. can play a pivotal role in order to compensate the loss of education of students. The government and other concerned can’t be the passive spectators, they need to work with zeal and enthusiasm to promote the education of students. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has to do a lot in order to save our children from the repercussions of this lockdown on their education. Here, 2G data services are not enough, the government of Jammu and Kashmir must restore 4G internet services tout de suite in order to provide better options for students for self learning. No doubt scientists, doctors, nurses , police, etc.are on their toes forfight against COVID-19 and are doing their best. Till the scientists will discover its treatment, self-Isolation is the best medicine we have at this time.So, we need to obey guidelines and instructions, and take preventive measures on our own. The Students usually have a number of dreams with regard to their education but for them intensity and magnitude of this pandemichave made them hopeless.Not only students but all of us are facing many difficulties. The COVID-19 pandemic have affected every corner of the world and is spreading it’s trap like a wild fire. The entire human folk is through never expected circumstances. We cannot estimate the loss of education the students have suffered. We can only imagine or talk but can never understand the pain and grief of students. When educational institutions are closed, there remains only single option for students that is self learning. But self learning in today’s age without high speed internet services is impossible. The government of Jammu and Kashmir must take necessary steps to ensure that students are not denied their right to education by keeping 4G internet services blocked. Now, I am desperately waiting for the day when I would hear that COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic. Let all of us pray for the early end of this pandemic so that we could have a sigh of relief we would live the way we used to live before this pandemic and students to go their schools and colleges the way they used to go in the past.
(The author is a freelancer. Views are her own, [email protected])
