Srinagar: Only a few days after it began, online education in Kashmir has come to an abrupt halt, as mobile internet services have been shut by the government since the killing of Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo on Wednesday morning.

The online mode of educating students here in Kashmir valley was already difficult for teachers due to the low-speed 2G internet, but now this, too, has been switched off.

Several teachers were using the “Zoom” application to teach students in a group, besides sending notes and assignments through email and Whatsapp. All this has been shut since Wednesday morning.

Several teachers as well as students expressed concern at the disruption, once again, of education in Kashmir valley. They complained that such internet shutdowns make it impossible to teach or study properly.

A teacher, Fayaz Ahmad, said, “The government has been emphasising on online education but it has failed to deliver the same.”

A professor teaching at Govt Degree College in Anantnag told Kashmir Reader that he had asked his students to submit an assignment online on Friday. “Little did I know at that time that the internet will be suspended,” he said.

A student, Imaad Wani, said, “Our teachers were educating us even on the low-speed internet we have here, but this too has been taken away. We had an important video lecture on Thursday, we were going to end one unit of the syllabus on the same day. All that has been delayed. We are hopeful that we’ll be able to resume our studies soon.”

Another student, Fahad Ahmad, said, “We had to submit an assignment for two subjects but we couldn’t due to the suspension of internet. Our studies have been affected for the last four days. Are we not entitled to education?”

Mobile phone and mobile internet services were snapped in entire Kashmir valley on Wednesday morning. The voice calling services were restored on Friday evening but there is still no word on how long mobile internet will remain suspended.

KALEEM GEELANI