Srinagar, Apr 1: The new timing for schools was notified by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) on Saturday morning.
However, the order for the new school timing was notified by the DSEK when it had already come into effect.
As per the order issued by the DSEK on April 1, all government and recognised private schools within Srinagar Municipal limits will function from 9am to 3pm from Saturday while those located outside Srinagar municipal limits from 10am to 4pm. The order was supposed to come into effect from April 1 which created confusion among teachers and students.
Unlike previous years, the DSEK did not notify new timing for schools prior to April 1 for the information of students and teachers.
“We approached our higher ups on Friday evening to know about the new school timing being notified by the department. But we were told no new timing has been notified and schools will operate as per the timing already in vogue,” said a teacher posted in Kupwara district. “But on Saturday morning the DSEK notified new timing for schools which created confusion among all,” she said.
During the past years, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) would notify new school timing in the last week of March which would come into effect from April 1 in the Valley.
“It was all chaos and confusion among parents and students. We were preparing kids and ourselves for school as per the previous timing. But after the new order was issued, the heads of the institutions asked for an explanation for reaching late to school. School heads were also confused as the new timing was to come into effect from Saturday itself,” said another teacher from Baramulla district.
The teachers and students questioned the higher ups in the department saying that the concerned officers “forgot” to notify the new timing. “Notifying new school timing is a routine practice from decades but it has happened for the first time that the concerned director forgot to notify it well in time,” a teacher from Srinagar district told Greater Kashmir.
Besides the confusion over delayed notification of the order, the teachers also opposed the timing set for schools located outside Srinagar municipal limits.
For the past many years, the timing for school was notified from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. “Surprisingly this year, the DSEK has fixed the school timing for schools (outside Srinagar municipal limits) from 10 am to 4 pm which is not convenient for the teachers and the students,” said a teacher wishing not to be named.
“The new timing is not convenient for the teachers, especially women who have to commute long distances from one district to another district during the month of Ramadan,” she said.
The teachers urged the administrative department to reconsider the new timing fixed for the school and may be changed as per the convenience of the students and teachers.
Notably, the school timing from April was fixed from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm keeping in view the office timing of other government offices which remains from 10 am to 4 pm.
“So the schools would open and close half an hour prior to other government offices. The students would not get stuck in traffic jams as well. But now all the offices and schools have the same timing which will create traffic gridlocks everywhere,” said a parent from Srinagar.
Advisor to J&K Lieutenant Governor Rajiv Rai Batnagar when contacted said he had asked the DSEK on Friday to notify new timing for school following which the order was issued on Saturday morning.
“The issue about modification in the timing for schools falling outside Srinagar municipal limits from 10 am to 4 pm to 9.30am to 3.30pm will be looked into,” Batnagar told Greater Kashmir. “I will see what can be done in this regard,” he said.