The schools across Kashmir resumed their class work for all classes up to higher secondary level on Monday after a gap of nearly seven months. Donning uniform for the first time after a long gap, students were seen attending to their classes amid smiles on their faces and jubilations all around.According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), before the announcement of winter vacations in December, the educational institutions remained closed for over four months in wake of the Government of India’s decision to abrogate special status of J&K (Article 370) and to bifurcate the erstwhile State into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh on August 5, last year. Today, schools re-opened after a gap of seven months.Even if the administration had made several announcements to reopen the educational institutions in a phased manner but students did not attend classes due to the chaos and uncertainty that prevailed in Valley till recent past and the restrictions imposed by the administration as well.Amid the poor response of students to attend their classes, the concerned schools asked the students to collect home assignment and conducted examinations at home up to class 9th students. Also, the annual exam of class 10th to 12th was conducted in October and November month without any relaxation in syllabus for students.“The students directly appeared in their annual exams after schools were closed by the administration on August 04,” an official said.
Later in first week of December 2019, the school education department announced the winter break for all students up to till February 22 this year.On Monday, there was hustle and bustle everywhere and students were seen draped in their colourful school uniforms waiting for their buses at their respective bus tops.In wake of the reopening of the schools, all the major and link roads witnessed huge traffic movement as the school buses were seen ferrying students from their concerned bus stops.The students were seen having smile on their faces while meeting their friends in schools after a gap of over six months in their schools. The students were rejoicing their togetherness in school premises, greeting and hugging their peers.“It is a moment of happiness for all of us here to see friends together in school again. We are happy that our schools resumed class work after a long time,” Irtiqa, one of the students of Mallinson School here told—KNO.Parents were equally happy to see their kids joining their schools again and said the education sector bears the brunt of the prevailing situation in Valley.“Over the past many years, we have observed that our children get very few working days in schools, which takes a toll on their academics. We wish and pray that the current year goes smooth and students continue their academics without any hassles,” said Muhammad Ibrahim one of the parents.While the educational institutions reopened across Valley, few dozen of schools in remote areas of Kupwara and other few districts remained out of bounds for students due to accumulation of snow in the school premises and on the approach road as well.However, the Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Muhammad Younis Malik said that all these schools will be made functional very soon—(KNO)