As COVID-19 cases are declining, schools in Jammu and Kashmir switched back to offline mode on Monday, February 14. This was after the Jammu and Kashmir administration had ordered that the educational institutions will reopen phase-wise across the union territory.
It was on Sunday, February 13, that the order was issued by the state executive committee. The order stated that all educational institutions, universities, colleges, ITIs and Classes from IX to X, can resort to the regular offline classes from February 14 while continuing to adhere to COVID-19 protocols.
But as per a report in PTI, most educational institutions will resume in-person classes only after the necessary arrangements are made. The officers also informed that when it comes to the attendance in private and government high and higher secondary schools, the numbers were low but are expected to pick up.
An official from Jammu University shared that since the order was issued only on Sunday evening, the arrangements to reopen were still being finalised.
It is from February 21 that physical classes will resume for the remaining junior classes in summer zone schools, this will happen after two years. Whereas, it is on February 28 that offline teaching will commence for all schools in the winter zone.
Currently, those schools in the winter zone of Kashmir and snow-bound parts of Jammu are on winter vacation.
Rameshwar Mengi, Principal, Shiksha Niketan Higher Secondary School, Rajeev Nagar, welcomed the reopening decision and as quoted in a report in PTI, shared that, "It is a happy moment for all of us that the students are back in their classrooms...Such a decision should have come long ago the young buds are the future of the country and the government should accord top priority to education He also stated that the digital mode of education is no alternative to traditional schooling.
Meanwhile, the principal also shared that all required arrangements, including sanitisation of classes, screening of students and so on, have been made.
A Class IX student, Gourav Gupta, shared that he is happy to be back on campus.
In September last year, educational institutions reopened for Class X students but rising cases forced the administration to resort to online classes in October again.
