SRINAGAR: Ahead of the new academic session, authorities on Sunday warned private tuition centres against the violation of the standard operating procedures with regard to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic saying there would be no compromise with the safety of students.
The tuition centres in Kashmir are currently being granted registrations by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) even as the ones already registered with the directorate have been asked to renew the same.
Besides, the tuition centres are expected to strictly observe the COVID-19 SOPs especially social distancing among the students to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
But, Chief Education Officer Srinagar, Manzoori Ahmad Kumar said that many tuition centres do not observe the said SOPs.
Kumar was speaking at the victory celebration ceremony of ‘Hope Classes’ a private tuition centre in uptown Srinagar that had been held by the centre at Hyderpora to felicitate its NEET qualifiers from 2019 and 2020 batches.
The CEO Srinagar, in his opening comments, pulled up the organisers for not having observed the COVID-19 SOPs strictly including mask wearing and social distancing at the event, which was held at a private hotel.
“You are going to be doctors and engineers and you are without masks. How can you be unscientific,” Kumar told the students even as he also congratulated them on behalf of the DSEK.
The CEO Srinagar said that there had been reports about many tuition centres that they were not strictly following the COVID-19 SOPs.
Besides, many tuition centres also do not reveal their records with regard to the facilities they provide to the students raising questions about transparency and accountability, he added.
The CEO Srinagar urged the tuition centres to put in place the facilities including proper heating and lighting arrangement for students, separate washroom facilities for boys and girls and CCTV cameras and also observe COVID-19 SOPs at the centres before commencement of classes this winter.
Kumar also emphasised the fulfillment of seats at the centres under the DSEK’s 10 percent quota for weaker sections of the society.
He said that the district administration Srinagar will be often visiting the tuition centres to ensure strict implementation of norms there.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Syed Haneef Balkhi, who also spoke at the event, stated that there would be no compromise with regard to the facilities for the students at the tuition centres.
Balkhi also emphasized on the observation of COVID-19 SOPs at the centres saying violation of the same won’t convey a good message for such educational institutes.
Director SKIMS, Dr A G Ahanger, who was the chief guest on the occasion, congratulated the NEET qualifiers hoping they will turn out to be the role models for themselves and bright stars in the field of medical science.

Irshad Khan