Srinagar: The schools across the Valley are set to open on Saturday after more than four months of closure due to the unrest.In the last 132 days of shutdown, the separatist leaders for the first time have given full-day relaxation in their protest calendar on Saturday and Sunday making the opening of schools possible for the private schools.Director School Education, Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat said though the government schools were already open and teachers were present on duties, there was a thin attendance of students.“We have time and again appealed to parents and students to attend the schools. We hope that now the situation has improved as there is more presence of public and private transport on roads. The students should attend their classes tomorrow,” Bhat said.He added that the students had not attended their schools even when there was little improvement in the situation in Pulwama and Srinagar.“In other districts, the students have started attending schools though the attendance is low, but in Pulwama and Srinagar, we appeal to students to attend the school from tomorrow as we have directed the teachers to compensate the losses by taking extra classes,” he added.The government has already announced mass promotion from Classes V to IX in all government and recognised private schools. Bhat further said the students must attend their classes on Saturday so that the new academic calendar could be started.Meanwhile, the Private Schools Association Kashmir (PSAK) has also decided to reopen the schools across the Valley tomorrow as there will be no shutdown in place.“The schools will remain open on Saturday and Sunday. We have a meeting tomorrow with other members to decide the future course of action so that the academic losses can be compensated,” said GN Var, chairman of PSAK.Despite government’s many attempts in the past months to reopen the schools, the parents refused to send their children due to the continuous shutdowns and protests fearing their safety.However, with improvement in the situation and the smooth conduct of board exams of Classes X and XII, there seems a possibility that the students will attend their classes tomorrow.The current unrest in Kashmir has affected the education of more than 15 lakh school-going children. Tribune News Service
