| Teachers, students leave Kashmir as several coaching centres shift to Jammu | | |
Srinagar, Sep 2: Hundreds of students and teachers are leaving Kashmir valley after several coaching centres have decoded to shift to Jammu as normal life continued to remain crippled due to strike and restrictions since Article 370 and Article 35 A were scrapped and the state was bifurcated by the centre on August 5.
Students also stayed away from schools though government announced reopening of primary, middle and high schools last week.
With a complete gag on all means of communications, the coaching centres informed the teachers and students through newspaper and TV advisements about the shifting of these institutes to Jammu.
Aakash, a leading coaching centre of the valley, has asked its teachers to report in Jammu on Wednesday and further stated that the classes will start from Saturday. “We have no option but the shift to Jammu as we haven’t completed the syllabus of students. As the situation continues to remain tense in the valley, we can’t play with the future of our students, who have to appear for Class 10, 11, 12 and competitive examinations in coming months,” a teacher, who wished anonymity, told UNI.
However, he said the students, who come from lower middle class and even middle class families, will face problems as their families will have to shell out more money for their stay in Jammu. “The students can avail hostel facility or can arrange their own accommodation, but staying in Jammu means more burden on the families economically at a time when people are already in distress financially in the valley due to the unrest,” he added.
Akash has arranged accommodation for students and teachers in Jammu besides hired a building which will be used as coaching centre in Gandhi Nagar area.
The teacher said that he is going to Jammu on Monday to look for a rented apartment so that he can take his family with him. “There is no means of communication so I am planning to take my family along with me to Jammu. It will me more expensive that way, but there is no other option,” he added.
A shopkeeper by profession, Shabir Ahmad, whose son studies in a coaching centre in Srinagar, said that despite financial crunch due to the unrest, he is making arrangements for his son to go to Jammu. “My son has to appear for the class 12 examination so I’m borrowing money from by brother to make arrangements for my son to go to Jammu and avail coaching there. I can’t let money come in the way of his future… God know when will the situation improve in the valley, so it is better for him to go to Jammu and study there,” Mr Shabir told .
However, Shabir said his biggest concern is not money, but non-availability of any means of communication. “My son will be for the first time staying away from us, and on top of that we will have no means to talk to him as all means of communication remained suspended in the valley since August 5… that is something which is making me uneasy and doubt my decision,” he added.
Educational activities, including class work, continued to remain suspended for the 29th successive day in the valley despite authorities reopening educational institutes’ upto High school last week. Even though good attendance of teachers was recorded, the schools continued to remain deserted as the students preferred to stay indoors in view of the situation in Kashmir.
Several schools have now asked teachers to submit assignments and video tutorials, which will be given to students so that they can prepare for the examination at home. “We have been asked to submit, assignments and video tutorials by our schools by Saturday. The schools administration will then ask to parents of students through newspaper advertisements to collect them from school…,” Aaliya, a school teacher said.
Teachers and students are no alone who are migrating outside the valley, scores of professionals, who are dependent on internet, have left Kashmir valley to other cities in the country, fearing terminations as the gag on all means of communication — including mobile phone, broadband and landline services — continued for the 29th successive day and with no immediate sign of relief.
Official sources said that all cellular companies, including BSNL, were directed by the authorities to suspend landline, mobile phone and broadband services in Kashmir valley from August 4 mid-night, hours before the centre scrapped Article 370 and Article 35 A, the sections of the Indian constitution which gave special status to J&K. The decision was taken to prevent rumours. Even though the authorities claimed that majority of BSNL landlines were restored in the valley, the service was made functional in some selected areas.
Besides adding to the spreading of rumours in view of non-availability credible means of information, the communication gag has badly affected the lives of the local population in the valley.
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