Why dosen’t our future matter to anyone?
Educational institutions across the country are arranging interactive online classes, but here it is still a dream
Aqib Mushtaq
Commonly known as coronavirus, Covid-19 is a family of viruses that has put the world on hold. So far into the 21st century, it is amongst the most significant medical challenges that our world has to face. It has put a halt to the learning system of over 250 million students in schools and millions in the colleges and universities.
Students in Jammu and Kashmir face one hurdle after another. First, they missed out on classes and lessons due to abrogation of Article 370 and now, it’s the novel coronavirus, or Covid-19, outbreak in India and the world.
Last year, restrictions were imposed in the Valley after the Centre on August 5 abrogated Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated it into Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Schools in Kashmir reopened on February 24 after remaining shut for nearly eight months following the abrogation of Article 370.
As if it was jinxed, the novel coronavirus was standing tall already to shut schools again in Jammu and Kashmir. While it’s a great inconvenience for many, it has created a spike in demand for online learning.
As educational institutions across the country are arranging interactive online classes to help students during the COVID-19 lockdown, students in Jammu and Kashmir are finding it tough to keep pace with their counterparts in other states due to low speed internet in the valley.
From Skype to WhatsApp and Zoom app, teachers and students are using all types of digital platforms across the country to save a precious academic year and continue with studies, albeit remotely. These measures are meant to ease the education gap being created due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Kashmiri students find it tough to take online classes as there is only 2G internet speed available in the Union Territory. All major online courses have been made free right now due to the lockdown. Cambridge is also offering free books online because they realize the effects of the pandemic for students worldwide. But Kashmiri students are helpless.
Why there is a big difference between the rights of students living in Kashmir and students living in other parts of the country. Kashmiri students have growing concerns about their future, as many of them suffer from lack of education and guidance. Students of Kashmir studying in other countries came back to home because of the present situation are also in distress because of the low internet speed which make it difficult to attend their online classes.
Government should restore high speed internet immediately so that Kashmiri students have access to the same learning opportunities as those in the rest of India.
(The writer is a student of BSc nursing 3rd year at IUST)
KV Network
