Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: National Conference (NC), Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and teachers fraternity have expressed their concern over opening of schools when the country is grappling with COVID-19 and the cases of pandemic are on rise day by day.
National Conference (NC) provincial president, Devender Singh Rana today exhorted Jammu and Kashmir administration to exercise caution while arriving at a decision to reopen schools in the middle of current month amid unfortunate increase in the COVID-19 cases, saying any wrong move could be detrimental for students at their tender ages.
“Mere thought of reopening schools seems to be premature as most of the schools lack necessary infrastructural facilities to enforce mandatory preventive protocols, more importantly ensuring distance”, Rana said in a statement while reacting to the move of the administration in this regard, adding that non-adherence of do’s and don’ts could negate the efforts of containing the spread of pandemic.
The senior NC leader said young children are vulnerable to the infection and therefore precaution should be keyword to combat the virus. Also, the main stakeholders-parents-should be taken into confidence on such a vital issue pertaining to their children, he said, adding that the Government must not rush to return of normalcy, especially when it comes to health of young children.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) J&K Executive Member, Raman Suri today said that the decision of Government to open schools in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is too early and the measures being adopted are too little. He urged Government to review its decision in this context and ensure complete safety of students and teachers before allowing them into schools.
Raman Suri said that usage of sanitizers alone cannot help unless safe distance is maintained at the time of entering schools as well as inside the premises including classrooms, playground and staff room. There are several schools which do not have much number of classrooms besides adequate size of classrooms, where children can be made to sit at a distance from each other.
Senior BJP leader and social activist, Dr Kuldeep Kumar Sharma has also expressed his apprehension over the decision of unlock One from June 8 and said that Government before the decision should do full home work as the cases of COVID-19 are rising day by day.
Dr Sharma said that the time is not opportune to open schools, colleges, religious places and Bazars and the Government should take all pre-emptive measures otherwise the people would be put to grave risk. He said there is need of social distancing and this can’t be maintained by the students once the schools and colleges would be thrown open. He said till date no medicine is available to combat the virus hence the Government should not take any decision in hurry.
The teaching fraternity after discussing the issue of opening the schools has appealed the JKUT administration to take all the suggested steps made by it into consideration to ensure the safety and security of the students in schools.
In a handout issued here today, it said if unfortunately a case is found in any institution, all the students have to be put under quarantine then.
The teachers’ fraternity said that the cases are rising at fast speed and if the trend continues or worsens then the administration must rethink on the plan. The teachers fraternity have also submitted a seven point suggestions to the Government in this regard.
Former MLA and provincial president, Youth National Conference (NC) Ajaz Jan has castigated the Government over proposed decision to pen educational institutions in J&K and underlined the need to step ahead in this aspect in a completely cautious manner.
In a statement issued here, today Jan said that opening of educational institutions amid Coronavirus pandemic is a sensitive matter and Government should work on all the modalities before opening the institutions.
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