‘First Day of School in Kashmir Since Aug 2019, Only Few Present’

Due to poor connectivity and buffering on the 2G network, we were hardly able to learn online.

Mohsin Ali from Kashmir vlogs his experience of attending school after a year amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

(Photo: The Quint/Kamran Akhter) 

Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
Video Producer: Anthony S Rozario

(This story has been reposted from The Quint’s archives to mark World Students’ Day. It was originally published on 26 September 2020)

On Monday, 21 September, schools for classes 9 to 12 reopened in Kashmir after a gap of over a year due to the abrogation of Article 370 and later, the coronavirus lockdown. I was both excited and nervous at the same time.

I took all precautionary measures like carrying a hand sanitizer and wearing a mask. I had expected that whatever me and my classmates had missed on in online classes due to poor connectivity and a buffering 2G network, we would be able to learn now.

We have already missed a lot of topics and chapters, so I was expecting to at least start the process of completing those since our exams are also coming up soon.

Unfortunately, there was hardly anyone at the school.

There were very few staff members and students present. My school got over before time because of this and I was home early, too. We couldn't study as much as we had expected.

Because there is a chance of contracting COVID-19, no parent would like their child to risk going to school and catch the virus. Therefore, barely anyone was in attendance. Luckily, there were a few friends I got to meet but we couldn’t shake hands or greet each other properly. We maintained social distancing and talked from afar.

Hopefully, things will get better soon and I will attend class with full strength.

(All ‘My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)