Students continued to stay away in the Kashmir valley, where authorities ordered reopening of primary, middle and high schools last week after remaining closed since August 5, when Article 370 and 35 A were scrapped and state divided into two Union Territories.
According to officials, the government has reopened schools and now it is the parents who have to send their children to schools.
They said in some areas in north Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal, students could be seen in schools though in less numbers.
The class work in Kashmir University (KU), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Central University Kashmir (CUK) and Cluster University remained suspended. The universities have also ordered postponement of semester and other examinations.
Though there was no response from students of Primary and Middle schools, the administration has announced on Tuesday evening that all High Schools in restriction free areas will reopen from Wednesday. The primary and Middle schools reopened last week. However, response from the students was almost zero in most schools in Srinagar and other districts in the valley.
Though teachers and other staff members are attending their duties, students continued to stay away as parents are not ready to send their children to schools. The situation is still tense and anything can happen any time, the parents said, adding that in the absence of any communication network they will not send them (children) to schools. Mobile and landline phones are still down in most areas, including in Srinagar so parents are apprehensive about the safety of their children.
A UNI correspondent, who visited a number of government and private high schools on Tuesday, saw no student though staff members were present. In south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian schools remained closed. Similar reports were also received from Badagam in central Kashmir. Reports from other districts and tehsils could not be ascertained due to suspension of mobile service, internet and landlines. (UNI)
