Srinagar: The Private Schools in Kashmir are set to face action if they fail to conduct online classes for the students during the ongoing lockdown period. The Chief Education Officer Budgam in a circular issued a week ago has threatened even cancellation of registration to the private schools for failing to conduct online classes to be authenticated by the concerned zonal education officers (ZEOs) in their areas of jurisdiction. Meanwhile Chairman Private Schools Association Jammu & Kashmir (PSAJK) G N Var say that online classes are a futile exercise till the restoration of 4 G internet facility in Jammu & Kashmir.
Chief Education Officer Budgam has taken a lead over other Chief Education Officers (CEO) of Valley by issuing a circular the operative of which reads “those schools who shall fail to provide online classes to their students shall face stern action warranted under law and they may loose their registration if found violating the instructions of the government”. The circular further says “the zonal Education Officer of the district shall ensure that all registered private schools falling in their respective jurisdiction shall adhere to the guidelines and they shall pass on the similar directions to all private schools within intimation to this office”, adding that “the names of such private schools who fail to provide online academic support to the students be forwarded to this office for action under rules”. When contacted Director School Education Kashmir Mohammad Younis Malik told Kashmir Horizon “All private schools would be made accountable for the conduct of online classes. Private Schools not adhering to the guidelines of the government in the conduct of online classes shall face stern action”. When contacted Chairman Private Schools Association Jammu & Kashmir (PSAJK) told Kashmir Horizon “ there is no disagreement on government lines over the conduct of online classes but in absence of 4 G mobile internet facilities the online classes are not accessed by all students . Using 2 G facility only 10 students in a class of 50 are able to connect to online lessons by teachers”.