Sandwiched, now schoolchildren suffer ‘adjustment disorder’

On one hand tuition centers have publicly started classes for the new session while on the other the Directorate of School Education Kashmir remained reluctant to mass promotion appeals for the ongoing session. In between the children are facing this “another worst” after September 2014 floods in the form of studying for two classes simultaneously.
Examples are many. While a class 7th student who has to appear in final exams in March is preparing for his annuals, the child is equally preparing for class eight through tuitions. Likewise a class 9th student is also preparing for his “more crucial matriculation exam.”   The problem had a cascading effect on other class children as well.
Mental health experts, who have been treating children with anxiety complaints, said the symptoms have worsened. From psychiatrist to psychologist, all have been witness to such cases.
“I have already seen couple of children with symptoms of insomnia, palpitations,  decreased appetite and mood changes after they were unable to keep up with the academic pressures created by reading in two classes simultaneously ,” admitted Dr Arshid Hussain , a  prominent  Psychiatrist  and Assistant Professor with Government Medical College. “They have these symptoms because of specific situation as they suffer adjustment disorders.”
Child psychologists are equally concerned. “Sequential learning is hampered by asking students to learn both classes together thus impeding learning and hampering education,” said a Child Psychologist pursuing doctorate from Kashmir University.
Children say they have been left to fend for themselves. “Everyone is busy discussing elections and formation of new government but since floods nobody thought about us and our well being,” complained a group of students.
Parents took a dig at politicians and officials alike. “These Netas and Babus often project children as future, but in reality the two have proved their callousness towards the society by being mute spectator to this serious problem,” said a parent.
Observers have been saying that mass promotion to all classes except for 10th and 12th, which are conducted by JK State Board of School Education, could have proved a blessing for the students of flood-hit Srinagar, where devastation due to floods tops the state list and officially is more than the aggregate of damage elsewhere.
Pleading their point they said as a part of the “continuous comprehensive” evaluation, the students had already appeared in three tests for the class, including their half yearly exam. “This way mass promotion was a natural way out of the crisis.” “Moreover unusual crisis needs unusual remedies,” said a legal expert.
But the biggest problem remained that administration failed to come to rescue of the children with Director School Education Kashmir Tariq Ali Mir refusing to buy the mass promotion proposals in post-floods crisis.
In October, the Coordination Committee of Private Schools Association (CCPSA), a forum claiming to govern functioning of private schools, had announced mass promotion at-least till class 7th. Given the public appreciation for the announcement the government was expected to extend it to classes 8th, 9th and 11th.  But Tariq Ali Mir openly objected the initiative. Expressing his reluctance, Mir said no special relaxation could be given to children of flood-ravaged City where thousands lost their houses and household.
But then since October what has been the role of the DSEK, the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir  Rohit Kansal and the District Development  Commissioner Farooq Ahmed Shah into schooling of children forced to study in two classes simultaneously? (To be concluded)

THE CONCERNS
* Since October 2014 coaching centers publicly announced admissions to new classes
* Over two months on children have been preparing for two classes simultaneously
* Sandwiched, children complain of insomnia, palpitation, decreased appetite and mood changes
* Mental health experts particularly psychologists fear that adjustment disorder can prove disastrous
* As cry for mass promotion goes louder, Directorate of School Education Kashmir offers resistance
* Students, parents suffer as administration, mainstream politicians prefer silence
(Source observers)