SRINAGAR: Amid COVID-19 scare, students in Kashmir are unable to attend online classes due to low internet speed.
There is complete lockdown to contain coronavirus. At the same time educational institutions have been putting study material and started online classes for the students.
However, students are unable to attend online classes due to low internet speed.
Mehraj Ahmad, a resident of Bemina, whose son has to appear in class 10th this year. However, he is worried as his son has lost interest in studies.
“School authorities have put study material and lectures of teachers on their websites but my son is not able to access them due to low internet speed,” he told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), with a distraught face.
He said during 2019 unrest after abrogation of Article 370, his son was taking tuition’s at a community school which was started by a local youth.
“In this lockdown children can neither take online classes, nor go to Jammu or Delhi for tuitions neither community schools have been set up,” he told KINS.
A Class 5 student in Kashmir has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging restoration of high-speed Internet. “I feel sad, frustrated, and angry, stressed because I could not attend the online classes organized by my school due to 2G connection. Online classes do not work on 2G,” Hiba Arjimand Wani, a Class 5 student wrote.
Suhail Ahmad, a class 8th student of Baramulla is confined inside four walls for last three weeks.
The ongoing situation has started weakening his memory who feels frustrated of staying inside four walls. “Due to fear of coronavirus we don’t allow him to step out of house. He is not able to attend online classes due to low internet speed,” his father said.
Secretary, School Education Department Asgar Samoon has said the students cannot download the text books due to the slow internet speed.
“Kids have no ipads/no access to desktops; cant download text books as internet is slow; Rs 2030.87 lac released for 1st-8th classes; DSEJ Rs 1105.44 lac & DSEK Rs. 925.43 lac; Kashmir division has distributed the books; remaining Jammu districts-DSEJ, CEOS, ZEOS to expedite in 2 weeks,” Samoon tweeted.
However, J&K’s Home Department has said in an order, “The internet speed restrictions have while enabling access to essential services and sites, not posed any hindrance to COVID-19 control measures or to access online educational content but checked the unfettered misuse of social media for incitement and propagating/ coordinating terror activities.”(KINS)