School Education and Floods Restoration of education is instrumental to restoration of normalcy EXAM Debate. It happened in 2008; it happened in 2009, it happened again in 2010. The schools were closed owing to the summer disturbances in Kashmir- for nearly a month in 2008, 2-months in 2009 and 3-long horrifying months in 2010. This year also the schools were closed-the havoc causing floods ensured that most of the schools remained shut nearly for a month. Many schools are damaged beyond repair, many schools have been washed away, many children have lost their homes with their books and their belongings. But the fact of the matter is that many schools are unaffected, many children with their homes, schools and surroundings are conveniently safe and have not been affected by floods. So how do you react to this uneven situation when all the schools are not damaged and all the children are not affected? Is postponement of exams and delaying the session by 6-months an answer to the educational needs of our students? Let it be clear that floods struck the valley in September. By this time almost all schools of the valley had completed 85- 90% of their syllabus as students were to appear in their annual examinations in October. Should the students now complete 10 -15% of the syllabus in another six months and then if conditions permit, sit for an examination? Why should I pay a private school for other 6-months if my child is crawling in the same class? In the present competitive world how do you justify wasting 6 precious months of our kids? Are you not depriving the already deprived? Did it happen in Uttrakhand too where many schools were damaged in floods? Was the session altered there too? If in spite of disturbances and loss of substantial portion of working days exams were held in time in 2008, 2009 and 2010, why do you want to alter the session this year when the number of days lost are not too many? October-November session has been seen to be the most convenient session for valley’s students considering the tough climatic conditions which keep most of our children indoors during winters making schooling a tough job. The session continued in turbulent 90’s when so many schools were burnt and school days were truncated by un- interrupted hartals and long curfews. Valley’s affected kids need attention-they do not need to be kept idle. Right to education is a fundamental right in the Indian constitution-sowhy are our children being deprived of this fundamental right? May I suggest as a worried parent and a member of this society a few measures to restore education on a warfront basis in Kashmir. 1. Repair the damaged structures wherever possible –in the meantime shift the schools to safe buildings of the vicinity. Erect pre-fabricated structures in place of damaged
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 02:38:42 +0000
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