M Aamir Khan
Srinagar: Parents are in dilemma whether to send their wards to schools when they reopen after two back-to-back lockdowns on March 1.
While some parents feel it is high time to ‘live with the virus’, others say it is better to wait for a couple of months more.
“Kids have been sitting at home from August 2019 and it is high time for them to live with the virus akin to the rest of the world. I see kids going to tuitions and roaming around freely at marketplaces. What is the problem if we start schools with safety protocols?” said Arifa Jan, a resident of uptown Rawalpora.
However, Irfan Dar, another parent said news coming from other parts that several children had got infected with the coronavirus after reopening of schools was a cause of worry.
“While schools have opened in several states, there have been many instances where kids got infected. This is a cause of worry. I think it is prudent to wait till the kids and teachers are vaccinated,” he said.
Asma Goni, Convener of the Parents Association of Privately Administered Schools (PAPAS), said parents associated with them were of the opinion that it was not safe for children up to Class VIII to resume school.
“As far as the parents in our group are concerned, they feel it is not the right time to go to school especially up to class VIII. It is difficult for them to adapt. It is not that Covid has ended and that the vaccination process is over. If we have sacrificed so much, we can wait for two more months till April end. And it is easy to discipline the children in school but once they are out, it is different,” she said.
Goni too said reports of school kids getting infected with the coronavirus from other states were worrisome.
Director School Education Kashmir, Muhammad Younis Malik said schools would open as per schedule on March 1.
“As Kashmir division is observing winter vacation up to February 28, hopefully, the schools will open on March 1. We have around 10,500 government schools and 3000 private schools in the Kashmir division that have around 13 lakh students. Against this backdrop, we have started a sensitization programme for school heads. We have 10-20 days to go and during this period it will be our endeavor to sensitize all so that a message goes to the parents and students what precautions we have to follow before opening schools,” he said.
