Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 29: The studies of over 7000 students have been badly affected as nearly 41 Government schools located near the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote, Mankote and Mendhar zones of district Poonch are lying closed for the last 15 days.
These schools had been closed by the District Administration following heavy shelling by the Pakistani troops on early hours of August 15. After half a dozen villages had been targeted by the Pakistani troops during mortar shelling in which six persons had been killed while score of others were injured, the administration ordered closure of the schools. A teacher and village Sarpanch had also been killed in Balakote area in the shelling on the Independence Day. Many cattle also got perished in the attack.
The hapless villagers took shelter in the safer locations and left their homes in panic. The schools falling along this LoC belt were also closed down by the Deputy Commissioner, Poonch. Many border people along with their children rushed to the nearby villages and Government buildings including some schools to take shelter. Many people spent sleepless nights for few days fearing shelling anytime in the open.
Sources in Education department said that about 28 schools in Mankote Education Zone, nine in Mendhar Zone while four in Mankote Education Zone of district Poonch are lying closed for the last more than two weeks now. The studies of the students right from Ist upto 10th class have been affected.
In Mankote Zone, there are three Govt High Schools, nine Middle schools while rest are Primary schools. Similarly, in Mendhar Zone, there are four Middle and five Primary Schools while in Mankote out of the total four lying closed, one is Middle while three are Primary schools. This time, the Education authorities did not shift these children in other make- shift schools.
Zahid Khgan, a local from Darati village near LoC told the Excelsior that for the last more than 10 days now, there is peace along this border belt. The parents want to send their children to schools and even children are also willing but the teachers are not turning up.
A village Sarpanch from Balakote area said that if the Education authorities do not want to take any risk, at least they should shift these children to other schools situated at safer locations so that studies of their children do not get affected. Such arrangement was also made some time back when Pakistani shelling took place in the same area and the schools were closed for several weeks. He said either schools be shifted to safer locations or these children be allowed to study in other schools located in safer zones.
Deputy Chief Education Officer, Mohammed Azam when contacted said that safety of the children was more important and moreover, he had not received any such order to reopen the schools from the higher authorities. Similar was the response of ZEO Balakote, who also maintained that he had no problem now in opening schools provided some directions are given to him by the senior officers in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Nissar Ahmed Wani when contacted said that there was trouble along the border villages on August 15 due to firing and he had asked concerned Chief Education Officer, Poonch to close down the schools along the LoC for taking precautionary measures. No such written order was issued in this regard. He said “now we feel that normalcy has been restored and situation also improved. The children should go to schools”.
Wani said there was holiday for two days and he would direct concerned SDM and Chief Education Officers to re-open the schools lying closed. Most probably the schools would be made functional in 2-3 day. On Monday, the directions would reach the concerned officials, the DC added.
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