Few students turn up as Valley schools re-open

Protesters throw stones at some buses,force schools to shut down

Amid curfew and clashes between police and protesters,government-run schools in the valley re-opened Monday after more than three months. Most of the private schools remained shut.

The Jammu and Kashmir government claimed attendance was 80 percent in schools in rural areas and 30 per cent in urban areas. In all 80 per cent students attended schools in rural areas and 30 per cent in urban centres, said Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed. In Srinagar,28 per cent resumed learning activities in different government and private educational institutions.

However,the schools The Indian Express visited had mostly empty classrooms.

At Government Higher Secondary School at Behrampora in Baramulla district,only 9 of the 280 students showed up.

At Government Middle School Soura,in the outskirts of Srinagar,five of the 150 students turned up.

Twelve students came to Government Girls Higher Secondary School,Kothibagh,Srinagar.

Two kids came to British Public School,Rajbagh,Srinagar,but had to go back as there were no teachers.

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At Government Middle School at Kanispora in Baramulla,32 of the 160 students turned up.

In Pulwama district,most of the private schools that had re-opened in the past few days,closed down Monday.

However,a good number turned up at Srinagars top private schools. Nearly 200 students attended Presentation Convent School in Rajbagh and about 150 students,accompanied by parents,turned up at Mallinson Girls School. Most of the students and their parents,however,returned before the school opened. A good number of students also attended Burn Hall Missionary School and Delhi Public School.

Police and CRPF men were deployed in strength outside Burn Hall,which is located close to Chief Minister Omar Abdullahs Gupkar Road residence.

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A few buses of some private schools were attacked by protesters. People threw stones at two Delhi Public School buses at Rawalpora while a school bus was attacked at Habak. Protesters also forced government schools at Nowshehra,Rainawari,Nowhatta and Bhagwanpora in Srinagar to close down.

Sources said the civilian authorities and police made surprise checks at various schools to mark the attendance of teachers.

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Hope all schools open today: Chidambaram

New Delhi: Home Minister P Chidambaram Monday appealed to people,especially parents,to cooperate with the Jamp;K government to ensure all schools and colleges function normally. Government is happy to learn that most schools and colleges have re-opened and most students have gone back to school/college today.

Chidambaram said he was confident that the schools and colleges that remained closed will re-open Tuesday and attendance will improve significantly.

Do not politicise education,says Omar

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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday sought cooperation of the separatists,especially Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani,to ensure that schools and colleges in the valley run smoothly. Education,he said,must not be politicised

Lets keep education neutral to all conflicts, the chief minister said. I hope Geelani and other separatist leaders will cooperate and not target children just because they are coming to school. It is the responsibility of one and all to work for making the education system function properly.