The State Education Department has come under sharp criticism by announcing summer vacation for all colleges in the State particularly in Kashmir Valley where class work remained suspended for most of the time since April after the student protest. The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered the closure of all educational institutions in Kashmir region and Jammu’s winter zone on account of summer vacations from July 6 to 16."It is hereby ordered that all Government Educational Institutions as also recognized private schools up to the Higher Secondary Level functioning in the Kashmir Division and winter zone of Jammu Division shall observe summer vacations with effect from July 6 to July 16," said an order issued today."Any default on part of private instituitions in observence of the calender of summer vacations so authorized shall attract action under rules," it added.Netizens mostly parents castigated government for issuing what they call ‘anti-student order’. Since April class work has affected in most of the colleges due to protests after Pulwama College incident.
“Government doesn’t care about the future of the students. They are concerned about the law and order. To stop protests during the first ‘martyrdom anniversary of Burhan Wani, Government has made students scapegoat and declared closure of colleges,” a netizen wrote on the social media networking site facebook.Pertinently, Syed Salahuddin, the Chief of militant outfit umbrella United Jehad Council has announced that Hafta-e-Shuhuda would be observed on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) which divides Kashmir into two parts - each administered by India and Pakistan.To pay tributes to Burhan Wani and the 1931 martyrs, Salahuddin called for state-wide shutdown on July 8 and 13.An official from Education Department wishing anonymity told CNS that summer break has been declared in wake of the ‘Hafta-e-Shuhuda’ program announced by UJC. “There were apprehensions that law and order may get disrupted due to presence of students in the colleges. To avoid the disruption and to maintain order in Valley, authorities found it convenient to announce summer break for all the Colleges,” he said. (CNS)