‘Official announcement after consent from administrative department’
Srinagar: Amid speculations about announcement of winter vacations for government schools in Kashmir, the school education department has decided to keep schools open during winter months for students.
The department has decided to keep all the government high and higher secondary schools open for students for winter schooling besides merging students of upper primary and middle schools.
“We have no plans to announce winter vacations this winter. High and Higher Secondary schools will remain open for students,” Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Ajaz Ahmad Bhat told.
“Students from upper primary and middle classes will also be merged with these schools during winters for tuitions,” he added.
Bhat said the department would also continue last year’s initiative of giving coaching to students for their competitive exams.
“Department will conduct classes under super 50 initiative for students at district headquarters besides holding classes for winter tuition for students,” the DSEK said.
He said the department would submit its proposal to administrative department. “Official announcement will be made after a proper consent from the administrative department,” he added.
Pertinently, all the educational institutions have remained closed for a period of four months post killing of BurhanWani on July 8.
Following the prolonged closure of schools across Kashmir, the authorities decided to waive off the term II exams for all students from nursery to class 9th and 11th who would be elevated to their next classes on basis of their performance in their term I exams.
Meanwhile, the DSEK ruled out any chances for announcement of winter vacations for students in schools. “There are no plans to announce winter vacations for students except the students studying in lower primary classes,” he said.
He said the schools would be kept open for students with the facilities for winter tuitioning and coaching for their competitive exams.
“It is upto students to decide whether they will avail the facilities available in schools during winters. From department side, schools and teachers will be available in schools,” Bhat said.
Pertinently, the Private Schools Association Kashmir (PSAK) has already urged the government not to announce winter vacations for schools given the academic loses faced by students in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir. GK