COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the education of students across the country, but life is tougher for students living in Hamirpur town of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Because of being near the Line of Control (LoC), Hamirpur has a very poor internet connection. The area also witnesses cross-border shelling occasionally, which further forces the schools to be closed for long stretches of time. To help facilitate the uninterpreted education of children living in the area, the Army has started 'Pinewood School' where community classes are being organised for students to cover their syllabus.
According to Aliyaz Khan, a teacher at Pinewood School, while students in most places across India have adapted to online classes, internet connectivity is a problem in Hamirpur. "Students living in border areas are at a disadvantage because their classes remain suspended for months because of cross-border shelling and now due to COVID. The area also does not have a proper internet connection because of being on the country's border with Pakistan. Because of all these things, the syllabus of students living in the area is always far behind the students in the rest of the country," said Khan. "Now, these community classes organised by Army are helping students complete their syllabus on time and be at par with students across the country. The Army is also ensuring all COVID-19 protocols are followed," the teacher added.
Tahra, a student at Pinewood school said that the Army not only helps facilitate their uninterrupted education but also ensures that they are safe. "We live in a border area where there is a problem with the network connection. Shelling is also a common occurrence here. The Army has started community classes for us with proper social distancing in place. They also help with our commute to ensure our safety. These classes are benefitting us a lot," said Tahra. According to another student Rubia, the classes helped her cover most of her pending syllabus and get ready for competitive exams. "The network is very poor here, due to which we can't have online classes. We are always at disadvantage during competitive exams because our syllabus is not complete on time and we don't get enough time for preparation, Now, with community classes, we have covered most of our pending syllabus and are have time for further preparations as well," she added.
