Schools in Kashmir to Reopen Today After a Gap of Over Two Years
Schools in Kashmir to Reopen Today After a Gap of Over Two Years
Srinagar, March 02 : All the government and private schools will reopen in Kashmir and winter zones of Jammu division from today and resume routine classwork of the school children.The schools and higher educational institutions reopened in Jammu in a phased manner from February 14 while the degree colleges in Kashmir also resumed from February 15 as well.
The schools will resume routine offline class work of students after a gap of over two years as the schools were closed owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.As the schools will resume physical class work of students, the government has advised the schools to ensure smooth transition of students from home-based lockdown to formal schooling besides providing support to them on school reopening.
The school heads have been asked to ensure emotional wellbeing of students and teachers as well. The parents and the stakeholders have also called for adoption of a play way method of teaching in schools for the children.The schools in government as well as private sector have made all the preparations for reopening of the schools by ensuring cleanliness and sanitisation of the school premises.
The teachers in government schools, as per the directions of the concerned Chief Education Officers (CEOs) attended their schools from February 24 to make preparations for reopening of the schools. The private schools have also made all the preparations for reopening of the schools across the Valley.
While the school children will join their schools for physical class work after a long gap, the teachers and the heads of the institutions have been asked by the competent authorities to ensure that children are made to celebrate their return to school by decorating the school for them with balloons and offering them sweets.
“ Create an air of festivity in our schools. Let us break the ice and pass on a message that this week it will be more play, more fun. We should make small groups of children so that they share the experiences of long pauses, the woes, the happiness, the stress keeping Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) in mind,” the DSEK said in his message.
Amid the reopening of schools, the competent authorities have received a number of complaints on various issues of school reopening like uniforms, school fees, transportation fee and other concerns.“Most of the parents have suffered financially, particularly the business class.
All the school heads are advised to refrain from pressurising students and parents for fresh uniforms and outstanding dues. All these things should be handled ethically and gradually,” CEO Srinagar said in a circular.
He said the students should be allowed to attend classes without uniforms, in casuals, wherever required till the parents are able to manage the same.
“ In order to acclimatise the students to the brick and mortar classrooms, new school environment, it becomes our prime duty to make students returning to schools a joyous and merry experience,” he said.
While the schools in plans will reopen for routine schools, a concern has been raised over reopening of schools in snow bound areas.
Advisor to J&K Lieutenant Governor (LG) Rajiv Rai Batnagar said all the schools are reopening from March 02, but wherever in snowbound areas there are any difficulties in reopening schools the local administration will take a call as per the situation at hand, he added.
