Educational tour that left bitter memories
Government school children were stranded for 30 hours on Highway
Government school children were stranded for 30 hours on Highway
Srinagar: Hundreds of government school children who left for educational tour to various states were stranded for more than 30 hours due to frequent closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
The parents of the students complained of poor arrangement by the school education department for the students causing inconveniences to the students and parents as well.
As part of the student exchange programme, the school education department has taken around 100 students of secondary classes for visit to outside states and interact with their counterparts. The initiative is an annual process under SamagraShiksha-centrally sponsored scheme for which the finds are provided by the government of India.
“The department has chosen wrong timing for tour of students of secondary schools to outside J&K. During this period the national highway remains closed every year due to inclement weather and land sliding and shooting stones at various places,” said Abdul Ahad, a parent from Srinagar. This time the students were stranded for 30 hours at lower Munda.
“There was no arrangement for food and warm clothes made by the department. The students along with the teachers were left to fend for themselves,” Ahad said.
The parents demanded that the department should reschedule the dates for such student tours made every year keeping in view the inclement weather conditions of the valley which leads to frequent closure of the highway.
“Department should make necessary measures for their safe journey and in future these tours should be organised in the month of November and December,” the parents said.
Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) G N Itoo admitted that the students were stranded on highway and added that all of them reached Jammu safely.
“Students have reached Jammu safely. All arrangements were in place,” he said.
Itoo added that the secretary school education department and the directorate were continuously monitoring the journey and the arrangement put in place for the students.
“Even medical check-up was also arranged at Banihal and Ramban though there was no illness case reported. Upon reaching Jammu, secretary education himself went to see the students along with the medical team,” G N Itoo said.
KV Correspondent
