Resort 4G in Kashmir: PSAJK
Yasmeen Manzoor
Srinagar : Government on Monday hinted in an order to reopen the educational institutions from mid June after a long span of three months of lockdown imposed to combat global pandemic, Private School Association of Jammu and Kashmir(PSAJK) on contrary convicted concern over the safety of students.
The Director Finance School Education Department in an order has stated, ” As the government intends to reopen Schools in mid of June 2020. I am directed to ensure safety measures in all Govt Schools to arrest the spread of Coronavirus to staff and students therein. In this connection necessary instructions may be circulated to heads of all Govt Schools to provide a pair of reusable masks and a pair of hand gloves to every student to ensure availability of 1000 ml bulk hand sanitizer and 1200 ml liquid soap with disperser at entry point to each Govt School.”
Although, lockdown 5.0 has came up with a ray of hope for almost every sector of the society as the new guidelines have permitted reopening of government as well as business sectors as worship places, public places, hotels restaurants from June 08 while educational institutions to function from mid June to prevent further academic as well as economic loss but PSAJK and parents of students of Kashmir valley are worrisome regarding the safety of students in view of Coronavirus.
Pertinently, where the students across the country are coping up with their studies through online classes as ordered by the government, Students of Jammu and Kashmir are finding it difficult to surf the net for the academic purposes as they are not able to download the study material due to low speed 2G internet available in the valley, post abrogation of article 370 in August 2019 and lockdown since from March 2020.
However, as the government is about to reopen the educational institution across J&K, PSAJK have raised their concern over the safety of the students and teachers in view of Covid-19 as they come from distinct areas and if the precautionary measures are not kept into consideration it can prove to be a huge threat.
One of the parent of a student said, “In an optimistic way government has ordered reopening of all educational institutions in mid June, but we are very much worried regarding the safety of our children as schools may obviously witness crowd of students and teachers who came from distinct areas, that could be dangerous we want government to take full precautionary measures while executing the order and ensure the safety of our children.”
Talking to News Agency Kashmir News Bureau, Director Private Schools Association G.N.Var said, “Our students are lagging behind the rest as all educational institutions remained closed and were also deprived of the internet services since 5 August 2019 when the article was abrogated, till now only 2g services have been restored which is not helping the students at all.”
When asked about the new guidelines of lockdown 5 regarding reopening educational Institutions he said, “If schools are opened in such a situation, we want it under full precautions. As of now no such measures have been taken in schools so that every student of the valley could go to the school as many areas here in the valley are completely red zones. “
“If government will come up with such measures which will benefit each and every student of the valley and that too under precautions, than only we will be ready to reopen the schools , till then we want government to at least restore the 4g internet service so that our students will be able to cope up with their studies as rest of the students of country are doing so,” he further added. (KNB)
