Kashmir: Are radicals controlling school education ? Government refuses permission to increase fees of frontline schools

BY A STAFF REPORTER: Are Kashmiri students getting radicalised in schools? According to few prominent Kashmiri educationists, schools in rural Kashmir are pushing mandatory islamic studies. The educationists maintained that most of the teachers in these schools in rural Kashmir are supporters and activists of Jamaat-e- Islami. Citing another example, the educationists mentioned that there is a school in Srinagar where Arabic studies has been made compulsory till class five along with Islamic literature. "The school follows strict Islamic rules and regulations for male and female students,'' the educationist said. 

Many educationists are up in arms after the government refused to permit frontline schools to raise fees. Speaking to ANM News over phone, chairman of the Delhi Public school, Srinagar, Vijay Dhar mentioned that they have not raised school fees over the last seven years. DPS, Srinagar follows the national and international standard of education and religious interference is not allowed inside the premises.  "Whenever we seek clearance from the government to raise fees, authorities refuse and hence we are still stuck with the old fees,'' he said. Dhar claimed that he had raised the issue with the highest authority in Srinagar and Delhi but has not met with any positive response so far. "The costs have increased and it is difficult if not impossible to run a responsible institution", he added.