Schools in Jammu Open to Empty Classrooms, Parents Miffed with Admin Decision

The first day of the re-opening of schools across Jammu and Kashmir saw barren classes in a few prominent schools in Jammu, with no students to be seen in the physical classrooms.

NewsClick spoke to Anjali Gupta, the principal of the oldest and most-prominent government SRML Higher Secondary School in Jammu, who said that not a single student had attended school this morning.

“Not a single student showed up today. However we are positive that in the coming days parents will send their children to school. Today is the first day. Let us see, we are hopeful,” she said.

Anupam Bhagat, a senior teacher from Kendra Vidyalaya No. 2 in Jammu, also said that students were absent today. “As per protocol 50% of the faculty had come but not a single student turned up today," she said, adding that the day was for teachers to discuss the future course with one another.

Commenting on the measures taken by the school to ensure the safety of students and staff, Gupta said that they were following all the SOPs. “The entire school has been fumigated. Everyone has a mask on and a sanitiser handy. We’re strictly practicing social distancing norms,” he added.

The schools were re-opened after having been shut for nearly six months since the lockdown due to COVID-19 was announced in March. Since then, classes have been conducted online, and homework is being sent to students via WhatsApp, on email and through text messages.

However, the J&K administration’s decision to re-open government schools – with 50% attendance of staff and students – for classes nine to twelve on a voluntary basis to seek “academic guidance” has drawn flak from political parties and the majority of parents.

Even as the Centre announced the reopening of schools, it has maintained that it is not compulsory and is solely dependent on the decision of respective state and UT governments. While the UT administration of J&K has decided to re-open schools. Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have not followed the Centre’s decision.

According to the guidelines, the students’ attendance will be dependent on the written consent of their parents. Parents told NewsClick that they have been asked to sign a “Letter of Consent” which explicitly mentions that the parents will be responsible if their ward is infected.

The letter of consent has created an uproar among parents who said they will not put their children’s lives at risk.

“I shall be personally responsible if there is any untoward incident like coronavirus infection to my ward. I shall not blame anybody in the school for such an incident,” it reads.

Rakesh Kumar, a father of three – two girls and a boy – said that he will not let his elder daughter attend school. “The situation in Jammu is bleak. The number of cases is increasing. I cannot put my daughter’s life at risk. It is dangerous,” he added.

Another parent, Sakshi, mother to a 13-year old boy, said that it is “highly inconsiderate of the government to reopen schools when cases are increasing in Jammu.”

The decision comes at a time when inadequate oxygen supply and a lack of infrastructure has been reported from government hospitals due to a major surge in COVID-19 cases across Jammu. Last Friday, Jammu witnessed its highest single-day death toll of 20 infected patients.

Political parties in the state have called the decision “disastrous”. Speaking to NewsClick, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said: “The decision could prove to be disastrous. With cases increasing in Jammu and Kashmir, this move by the administration is likely to put the lives of teachers and students at risk,” he added.

Commenting on the surge of cases across Jammu, Sharma said that “oxygen plants are still being sanctioned; government hospitals are in bad shape. Amid all this, the decision to reopen schools is just devoid of thought.”

As per figures from the office of Chief Education Officer, there are 1,574 government schools and 869 private schools registered in Jammu.