SRINAGAR: Government-run educational institutions in Kashmir have begun to prepare online tutorials now that all schools and colleges are shut due to the coronavirus scare.
The move will benefit some 1.5 million students studying at school, college and university level. China, the country most affected by the deadly virus, has adopted the same model of education to prevent academic loss.
Director School Education Muhammad Younis Malik told Kashmir Reader that his team has begun to brace up for going into the online mode in case the virus scare does not lessen in the coming days.
He said he has formed a team of 100 teachers to prepare the tutorial modules and an online evaluation system.
“We are fully prepared for the situation. We won’t let the students suffer,” Malik said.
Last year, students could not attend schools, colleges and universities due to the lockdown imposed by the government after abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. At that time, educational institutions had conducted exams at homes to prevent the loss of the academic year. This year, when the educational institutions were opened after seven months, the virus scare has made the government shut them down again.
Kashmir University’s Public Relations Officer Shahid Rasool told Kashmir Reader that the varsity has begun to identify the modalities for reaching out to students in online mode in case the university remains shut for a prolonged time.
“We will be taking the decision in this regard in the coming days. We have pitched for the idea of going into online mode. The decision will be taken after a consensus is reached,” Rasool said.
Cluster University PRO Dr Preezada Yousif said that study material has already been circulated through online mode among students. “We are ready,” he said.
Registrar of Islamic University, Prof Rufai, said that they, too, have already put the content on their website for students. “We are figuring out modules which also need to be up on the website as demanded by the syllabus,” he said.
Private schools have also geared up. Principal of Biscoe School, Parvaiz Koul, told Kashmir Reader that past uncertainty has taught them how to respond.
“We have begun to issue tutorials to students at the lower classes. We will be doing the same for the higher classes too in case the scare continues,” he said.
Chairman of Green Valley School, Muhammad Yousif, said he had been in consultation with friends in China about how to develop a response.
“We are working on it. We will find a sustainable way of reaching out to students in any eventuality,” he said.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz