School closure- disastrous for education sector

For the past many years, the education sector in Kashmir valley has been badly hit due to various reasons and one of the reasons is the covid 19 pandemic lockdown that has almost paralysed the education sector to most extent compared to all other sectors. however, some important measures have been taken by the school education department in kashmir valley from time to time in order to minimize the loss caused to the students and to reach out to all the students for continuing their education through virtual mode like zoom, wiseapp, google classrooms etc., community classes, LMS etc. and the same initiatives brought definitely a sigh of relief to all the stakeholders involved particularly students community. The efforts yielded fruits although a very little portion of loss caused to the sector was fulfilled. The education department that has been working tirelessly in achieving the target of cent percent literacy rate in Jammu and Kashmir has been severely hit due to closure of schools. The recent announcement of lockdown measures by the government will further hit the sector most and will bring it to the deathbed. The huge loss incurred to the students during closure of schools amid covid 19 pandemic may never be compensated however, more recently the school education department has pledged to compensate some academic losses caused to the students due to closure of schools since 2020. It came up with an academic planner for remedial teaching and launched awareness cum enrolment drives and instantly started winter tutorials camps on war footing basis across the valley with its highly educated and experienced teaching faculties. The main aim was to bridge the learning gap among the students. The students as well as parents hailed the positive move of the government and accordingly students started taking admissions in winter tutorial institutions established by the education department with a ray of hope to get their losses fulfilled and gap bridged but the sudden closure of all educational institutions for all kinds of offline activities when teachers of education department are on toes trying to bring the derailed education sector again on the fast track as it was earlier before covid 19 pandemic dismayed not only to student and teacher community but parents and common people in general. All stakeholders of the valley are not happy with the closure of educational institutions for offline classes by the government when all SOP guidelines are in place. It raises many questions among students and parents in particular and common people in general like why strict lockdown measures are only for educational institutions and not for markets, clubs, gym centers, shopping malls, and public parks etc. where no SOP guidelines are in place. People in the valley are thronging tourist places, markets, public parks, and other public places fearlessly and feel no difference. Public transport plying, restaurants are open.
The teachers of the education department that already boosted students with covid vaccine jabs under guidelines from higher authorities are themselves now worried about the recent announcement by the government for closure of schools across the valley. All teachers and parents in the Kashmir valley desire education of all students in an offline mode and are with strict adoption of covid 19 guidelines for the welfare of all lives as they experienced and witnessed huge learning losses to their students amid closure of schools. The teachers, students and parents are well aware of the drawbacks of the online system. All efforts for the online classes are futile exercise in the valley as it still faces many challenges like lack of Android mobile phones among majority of students, lack of awareness and education regarding online education particularly among students of far flung areas, lack of strong internet speed etc. What parents from underprivileged and disadvantaged sections can expect from online classes who have no food to eat, clothing to wear and house to live in, pen to write, books to read and the availability of android mobile phones are beyond their reach. Recent orders by the government regarding closure of all schools, coaching centers etc. for offline classes will have a serious impact on the lives of all students and parents in the valley. It will develop a huge learning gap that never ever can be fulfilled. Learning and proficiency levels of students will fall below the minimum. It will also develop stress, anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems and health issues among students who are an asset and future of our modern society. It will increase students’ attention towards wastage of time and hard earned money of parents by spending their precious time in games like PUBG , FREE FIRE, FORTNITE, MINECRAFT etc., and will also lure students to drug addictions. Crimes, robbery, theft, dacoits also increased. Offline classes will only bring huge relief to all students who have already suffered very much since abrogation of article 370. Offline classes will also provide underprivileged and disadvantaged sections equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning outcomes. My sincere suggestion to the LG Manoj Sinha Sahab to allow all winter tutorials and coaching institutions for offline classes in Jammu and Kashmir having all SOP guidelines in place and complete vaccination of all teachers and students. Otherwise, the boat of education sector in Kashmir valley will sink to the bottom of the ocean and will engulf all other sectors in its sinking boat that will be disastrous for the entire Jammu and Kashmir and will later take the education sector at least a decade with strenuous efforts for revival of its present position. Let us hope the government thinks over it and shows a green signal to all educational institutions for offline classes very soon for the growth and development of the education sector.
(The author is a teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwa Budgam. Views are exclusively his own)