Students in Kupwara area forced out of school after merger of educational institution

Kupwara, July 5: Despite official recommendations, authorities are yet to take a call on de-clubbing of Primary School Brinjal with the result that over thirty children are continuously being deprived of education.

Following a story by Greater Kashmir on May 1 underscoring the plight of children being deprived of education, Chief Education Officer Kupwara in an official communiqué vide CEO/KUP/IMW/2024/7041-44 to Director School Education Kashmir recommended that Primary School Brinjal may be de- clubbed from Upper Primary School (UPS) Satkoji as soon as possible.

"Keeping in view the grievances of the people in general and plight of the students in particular it is recommended that the school namely PS Brinjal may be de-clubbed/de-merged from UPS Satkoji as soon as possible," reads the official communiqué.

However over two months have passed since the recommendations were forwarded but authorities are yet to take a call on this issue thereby depriving the children of Brinjal from education.

Previously, PS Brinjal operated out of a private residence but hopes soared in 2023 when authorities decided to merge Primary School Brinjal with Upper Primary School (UPA) Satkoji, located approximately 2 kilometers away from Brinjal.

This didn't go well with the parents who resented the decision of clubbing the school with UPS Satkoji, but to no avail.

The decision of clubbing the school created significant challenges for the children of Brinjal as they would navigate through dense forests and cross a river stream while going and coming back from school.

The journey turned out to be perilous for the young children aged 4 to 6, as a result, around 30 children have been forced to stop attending school due to safety concerns raised by their parents.

As the authorities have failed to address this issue, the future of many children lies in jeopardy.

The parents are also anguished about the future of their kids who have urged the concerned authorities to take an immediate call about declubbing of PS Brinjal so that their children can avail the facilities at their doorsteps.

Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Handwara Aziz Ahmad Rather told Greater Kashmir that he has personally taken up the issue with higher officials of the education department and hopefully the school will be established soon at its original place. He said that a new concrete building will also be constructed for the school.