Relocation of upper primary classes draws flak

Srinagar, July 28: The decision to relocate the students of Upper Primary classes of Government Middle School Arin in Bandipora district has drawn flak from the parents and the students.

Earlier, the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Bandipora ordered to shift the students of upper primary wing of GMS Arin to GMS Khairpora which is located two kilometers away from GMS Arin.

The parents opposed the move and demanded that the students should be called back to their original school to avoid any inconvenience to them.

Notably, GMS Arin serves children from tribal communities, who make up ninety percent of the student body. The school has been recently equipped with the latest educational tools and resources by the Tribal Affairs Department.

However, the decision to relocate the students to another school has left the parents fumed who said that the decision has not been taken in the interest of the students.

"Amid the prevailing heat wave, the government is trying every effort to ease the burden on children, but the district education authorities of Bandipora have taken an arbitrary decision to shift the students without taking parents on board," a parent said.

Parents have voiced concerns about the safety of their children citing that several families in the tribal community do not have the means to support the additional travel, especially under the current weather conditions.

"We will not allow our children to attend the new school. If the decision is not reversed, we will withdraw them from the school," another parent said.

An official said that the decision was probably taken to address the shortage of teachers at GMS Arin.

"But this is not the solution. Instead of posting adequate teachers for this school, the officials opted to relocate the students to another school," the official said, wishing not to be named.

This decision to relocate the students has been widely criticized considering the significant investments made in GMS Arin to enhance the educational experience for tribal children.

The parents demanded immediate reversal of the decision and urged the higher ups of the department to intervene into the matter.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Bandipora G M Puju when contacted assured that the decision will be reversed and students will be shifted back to their original school (GMS Arin).

"I came to know that the parents have opposed the decision to relocate the students, so I have instructed the concerned officials to shift these students back to their school," CEO Bandipora told Greater Kashmir.

He however attributed it to the "poor performance" of the teachers saying that the students of class 6th to 8th were shifted from GMS Arin to GMS Khairpora as they had not completed even a single chapter of any subject.

"The decision was taken in the interest of the students as I thought the teachers at GMS Khairpora school will teach them properly. The teachers at GMS Arin did not teach them," he said.

When asked why action was not taken against the poor performing teachers at GMS Arin, he assured that the action will be taken against these teachers who do not take their job seriously. "No one will be spared. They will face the music," he said.