Parents express reservations, pitch for online classes
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Feb 17: Even as the Government is set to re-open schools in Kashmir from March 1 after remaining shut for almost a year, the parents have termed the move as desperate and illogical while calling for continuing the online classes instead.
The parents said that throwing the schools open will create a mess and will also add to the stress of the children who have already undergone a lot under present circumstances.
Several parents who talked to Excelsior that they have reservations with the Government’s decision of reopening schools while claiming that the administration did not even consult them before issuing orders in this regard.
“There will be several issues that the parents, as well as the children, will face; take for example of transport, if the cabs do the pick and drop, as per the SOPs, they will for sure increase the charges, otherwise, they will have to violate the guidelines,” said Bashir Ahmad, a parent.
Asma Goni, Convener of the Parents Association of Privately Administered Schools (PAPAS) told Excelsior that there are chances that COVID-19 might spread after the schools are reopened and that the administration should give delaying the reopening of schools a thought.
“We are not against the reopening of the schools, but we have to understand that there are factors that might lead to the spread of the infection, while there are other factors as well which can add to the hassles of the parents as well as children,” she said.
She said that the parents are in utter dilemma and do not know how to proceed further. “Doing the pick and drop on our own is also going to be problematic for the working parents, and if two siblings are to attend school in different shifts then the problems will increase manifold,” she said.
The parents said that the children continued with the online classes even on the 2G internet for the part of the year.
They asked why can’t the Government delay the reopening of the schools for now and hold online classes as the 4G internet stands restored across the Valley.
“If we have sacrificed a year, why not one more month till the situation improves; online classes can continue and as per the SOPs there would no Assembly and no other activities in the schools, why not to go for online classes instead,” Goni said.
The parents also said that while the Government has decided to open the schools, it should have at least vaccinated the teacher and the rest of the staff beforehand.
As per the directives issued by the schools, the students will be required to get written permission from their parents to attend the physical classes. The move is being vehemently criticised by the parents terming it illogical.
“If we are to give the consent, then what is the need of opening schools, we should have been consulted beforehand which was not done,” Goni said.
Further, Excelsior has learned that there is a lack of coordination between the schools and various other departments that are involved in making the re-opening of the schools possible under proper SOPs
The management of several schools that are operating in Srinagar told Excelsior that the move of reopening schools under present circumstances is going to be a messy affair and is going to create problems for them on various fronts.
Meanwhile, President Private Schools Association J&K G.N. Var told Excelsior that they will try to follow the SOPs that have been issued and at the same time appealed to the administration provide masks, sanitisers to the students belonging to economically weaker sections.
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