Schools in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) have reopened on Monday, after nearly two years of home learning, forced by back-to-back lockdowns.
Educational institutes were initially closed in August 2019 after the region’s partial autonomy was revoked and were shut again in March 2020, after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic.
Usually, Kashmiri schools close in December for winter vacations and open on March 1. But last March, schools had barely opened after a seven-month-long military and communications lockdown, the Indian government imposed on Aug 4, 2019, a day before Kashmir was stripped of its autonomous political status.
IOK has faced prolonged lockdowns over the last two years since New Delhi revoked the Muslim-majority region’s semi-autonomous status and divided it into the federally governed territories of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.
For students, access to online education had also been difficult because of the restrictions, imposed on internet use.
Now when finally the schools are reopened, this time, children have returned to somewhat unfamiliar terrain. No rushing in or hugging classmates is allowed.
Everyone has to get their temperatures checked, maintain a safe distance and keep their masks on, at all times but they all agree to it that, it’s a relief to get back to physical classes and interact with friends and teachers once again.
“What I find is that physical attendance in the school is very important and it will definitely change the mental ability and agility of the children at the same time. No doubt they are going through stress, sitting at home for a long period now. They need to come out of their homes,” says Amjad Rathore, head teacher of Little Angels School.
Only those students who have signed a no-objection certificate from parents have been allowed back in. This vindicates the school of any blame in case of health issues that may occur due to the resumption of physical classes.
Classes of the sixth and eighth graders opened on March 8 but the classes for kindergarten and the grade five were deferred till March 15. Some schools will be holding classes for only half of the total students with social distance maintained in classes.