Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): After a gap of five months, schools reopened in Kashmir amid the Covid-19 pandemic today, but students remained elusive, with the majority of parents saying that they don’t want to take any risk by sending their wards to schools as the deadly infection was at its peak in J&K.
Though some schools saw little hustle and bustle, the majority of government and private schools in the summer capital of Srinagar wore a deserted look. The government in the UT yesterday announced the reopening of schools for only a consultation basis and with a proper undertaking by the parents that schools won’t be blamed for Covid-infections.
“I was very happy to attend school. But the traditional aura was missing and there was no previous atmosphere. Teachers asked me to come for only consultations and guidance. No regular classes were held,” said Adil Rashid, a class 10 student of Burn Hall School, Srinagar.
Some parents, however, expressed concerns in sending their children to schools. “Education can wait, Covid-19 can’t wait to infect our children. It is better for our children to learn from Zoom classes only rather than rushing to schools where virus transmission risk is high,” said Lateef Ahmed, whose three children study in a school in Srinagar.
At another leading government school in the heart of Srinagar, some students expressed excitement about the reopening of schools. “It was very difficult to understand the lectures on Zoom classes via low-speed internet, but we are hopeful now that we will complete our syllabi at our school,” said Nusrat, a student.
She said the students have got a written letter of approval from their respective parents to attend the school.
The Covid-19 is holding a tight grip across J&K as more than 1000 people have died so far due to the pandemic while over 64,000 people have ben infected so far. The majority of deaths have taken place in the Kashmir region only.
-ARK
