Invoking Quran, Advisor Khan asks parents to send children to schools

Rejects rescheduling of annual exams, assures safety

‘Asking kids not to go to schools biggest disservice to Islam’

SRINAGAR: Coming out hard at militants in Kashmir Valley, Advisor Farooq Khan on Sunday said that asking children not to attend classes and warning parents against sending their wards to schools is the biggest disservice to Islam, even as he appealed to the parents to send their wards to schools.
Khan who looks after the affairs of the school education department also said that there were no plans to change the dates for exam which would commence by October end in Kashmir Valley.
While the authorities have gradually reopened all the schools across the Kashmir region which were closed after the Centre abrogated Jammu and Kashmir's special status last month, the attendance in them has remained thin, a worrisome sign for the government especially in view of the upcoming annual examinations.
To add to the crisis, several posters have appeared in Srinagar warning people to keep their children away from schools.
On Sunday, Advisor Khan hit out at the elements behind such posters.
"The terrorists want the public to remain illiterate so that they can control their mind," the advisor said.
Khan said, "What type of religion are they (terrorists) following. It's definitely not Islam. The holy book begins with the word 'ikra' which means recite or to read."
"...I wonder what type of Islam are these people preaching. It can be anything but not that," Khan said here.
Khan, a former administrator of Lakshwadeep who was brought in as the advisor in view of his expertise on Jammu and Kashmir, appealed to the parents to send their children to schools and said there were no plans to change the exam dates.
The exams are held in October-end and November and the dates are announced by Board of School Education.
"The exams will be held on time," says Khan, a retired IPS officer.
Khan has been given the charge of school education among other portfolios.
"We have opened the schools and parents have to come forward...for their own wards. I can assure that they will be safe," he said.
Private schools have been regularly advertising in local newspapers asking children to collect their assignments and complete their registration for the board exams.