As the student attendance in government schools is witnessing downward trend, the school authorities have started seeking support from clerics to get students back to classrooms.

This is a first of its kind initiative taken by the school authorities to involve the local committees to run the educational institutions smoothly.

Kashmir Vision is in know of many such letters written by the concerned Principals to the clerics and asking them to read these during Friday sermons. “The letters carry an appeal to the students asking them to attend their classes regularly”.

Principals of various Boys Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) have sent letters to clerics on last Friday to inform parents that their kids are not attending classes regularly.

“From past many days, the student attendance was dwindling day by day. We gave it a thought and decided to seek support from clerics and inform the parents about the thin attendance of their kids in schools,” said Principal BHSS Baramulla Manzoor Ahmad.

He said the students would frequently stay aloof from their classes which can prove detrimental for them in their upcoming exams.

“At the time of annual exams, every school notifies the list of students who fall under attendance shortage cases and are not allowed to appear in the exams,” he said.

“When the students are barred from appearing in the final exams, their parents make hue and cry over the issue. So we decided to inform the parents about the issue in advance by writing to the local clerics through our letter and requested them to appeal parents to send their kids to school regularly,” he said.

Pertinently, educational institutions this year witnessed lesser number of working days since April following the thrashing of students by forces inside Government Degree College Pulwama.

“Given the prevailing situation in Kashmir, students have become arrogant and nowadays these children don’t listen to their parents as well,” said a lecturer, in BHSS Baramulla wishing not to be named.

In various mosques, clerics readout the letters and informed the parents about thin attendance of their kids in schools.

Besides HSS, authorities from various high schools have also appealed the local clerics to make an announcements during Friday prayers in their respective areas about the thin attendance of students in their schools.

“We also requested few local clerics to read our letters during the Friday prayers and appeal parents to send their kids to school regularly. The students don’t attend their classes regularly which disconnects them from the routine academics,” said a teacher posted in central high school Baramulla, wishing not to be identified.

“We wanted to make parents aware about the thin attendance of their children in schools so that they won’t object if any action was initiated. We are trying our best to convince students for attending their classes regularly.”

Guest