Schools reopen in Valley after 3 months, Centre, state happy

Srinagar, Sept 27 (PTI) Ignoring a call by hardline
separatists, schools across Kashmir Valley in north India
reopened Monday after remaining shut for 100 days due to civil
disturbances.
Both Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram and Jammu and
Kashmir state's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed
happiness at the doors of schools been thrown open again but
hoped that hardline Hurriyat party leader Syed Ali Shah
Geelani and other separatists would not target students
because they are going to schools.
Attendance was however thin in the wake of Geelani's
call to parents not to send their wards to schools and
colleges. Security personnel ensured that students and
teachers had a smooth passage through areas where there were
curfew and other restrictions.
Reopening of educational institutions was part of
Centre's 8-point initiative to bring back peace in the Valley.
Chidambaram said he was happy at the reopening of most
educational institutions disregarding a boycott call and
appealed to all sections of people, especially parents, to
cooperate with the government in their smooth functioning.
He also condemned a "few minor" incidents of
stone-pelting on school buses at Habak, Bemina and Nowgam and
asked, "How can any right thinking person pelt stones on
school buses?
"I hope that such mischief will stop immediately," he
said in a statement in New Delhi, adding, "anyone who has the
interest of the children at heart cannot indulge in
stone-pelting; nor should anyone support such mischievous
attempts to interfere with the functioning of schools and
colleges."
Omar said the state government's entire efforts were
focussed to ensure that children do not lose valauable year of
education.
At the same time, he hoped separatists will cooperate
and will not target children because they are coming to
schools. "There was a mixed response today," he said when
asked for his assessment about students returning to schools.
"Please cooperate with the Government", he said in
Jammu, adding "Education is the right now a fundamental right
of children. We want to restore that right to children".
The education system in the valley had suffered
collateral damage due to frequent curfews and strikes in the
unrest, which began on June 11 with the killing of a
17-year-old student in police tear smoke shelling.
State Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed
claimed there was 80 per cent attendance in rural areas while
urban centres recorded 30 to 40 per cent attendance.
In Srinagar city, Sayeed said 28 per cent students
returned to schools in different government and private
educational institutions.
Terming the re-opening of schools as a good beginning
in the right direction, he called for avoiding politicking on
the issue. (MORE) PTI MIJ
SAK


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