An open and shut story of J&K schools

Despite board exams round the corner, the education of children continues to suffer in Kashmir due to the prolonged uncertainty in the Valley.

All the educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, remain closed since August 5 when the Center scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.

The subsequent spontaneous shutdown, restrictions and information blockade ensured that the students stay away from their schools and colleges for the past almost one and half months. Though the government has claimed that around 4000 schools upto 10th standard have been reopened, but the attendance of students in these schools is almost nil.

In the third week of August the government asked the teachers to report back to their duties but no students has turned to the schools so-far. “We conduct daily inspections of schools but find no student. Only those teachers have reported back to duties, who are posted close to their homes,” an official of the Education department told DH. The schools are witnessing ‘zero’ attendance at a time when it is preparing for holding annual exams of students from class 10th to 12th, to be conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE).

“The department has asked students of secondary and senior secondary classed to submit their exam forms but exams can be only held if students report to schools,” the official said and added only 50% of syllabus is completed in class 10th to 12th.

Also, the department has been caught in a catch-22-situation for holding exams of lower classes (from primary to class 9th as the students have not completed their syllabus.

“If the decision to hold annual exam couldn’t materialize, then the department may go for evaluating students through continuous evaluation system. The concerned schools have held term one exams and the second term marks will be awarded as per the performance of students in previous exams,” a renowned educationist said.Uncertainty is also glaring at the students of colleges and universities. Though officially, the government has announced that schools have been reopened, there is no word about higher secondary schools, colleges and universities.

“There is apprehension of protests, if colleges and universities are reopened. In all likelihood, college and university students will lose one semester as there is no possibility of opening of higher educational institutions in near future,” a senior police officer told