PIL in HC on winter schooling...

Tassaduq Yassien:

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Tuesday entertained a public interest litigation (PIL), asking government to clear the air on winter schooling in the Kashmir Valley. Ghulam Mohammad Wani, a lawyer, filed the PIL, seeking full facilities to the students during the winter schooling. The petition was likely to come up for first hearing tomorrow or day after, the sources added. Notwithstanding protests from student community, the government continues with its decision of winter schooling in Kashmir for higher and secondary classes to compensate for the loss suffered by the learners in tumultuous summer this year. There was hardly any schooling from June 11 till early October due to unrest that saw 11 people being killed allegedly at the hands of government forces. Around 250,000 students of Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 have been attending schools despite intense cold weather with temperatures falling to far below freezing point. As per the government guidelines, all the government and private High and Higher Secondary schools of Kashmir valley have been directed to remain open during winter. The functioning of private schools during the winter for high and higher secondary classes was made mandatory with the management of these institutions directed to make necessary and requisite arrangements for holding the classes.However, there has been protest by many private schools, alleging inadequate facilities in their classes.