PSAJK President expresses condolences over Srinagar school incident

• G N Var stresses urgent need for moral education and students counselling

SRINAGAR: The President of the Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK), has expressed profound sorrow over the recent tragic incident of a little student from Kashmir Harvard School, Srinagar. In a statement issued to the press, PSAJK President G N Var extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, school management, teaching, non-teaching staff and the entire student community.

“From the bottom of my heart, I extend my deepest sympathies to the grieving family and the school authorities,” said Var. “This heartbreaking event is a time for collective reflection and urgent action.” He noted that Kashmir Harvard School is in deep grief and that the entire school staff is mourning this loss.

G N Var stressed the growing need for parents, teachers and guardians to spend meaningful time with children and to foster open, friendly and emotionally supportive environments both at home and in schools. “It is imperative that we create safe spaces for our children, spaces where they feel heard, valued and emotionally secure,” he noted. “Tragic incidents like this must never be repeated.”

He further appeals to all parents not to give mobile phones, social media access, or online games to their childrens, as these have proven extremely harmful to their well-being and have led to increasing cases of digital addiction. “Parents must avoid giving phones to children after 9:00 PM. Early sleeping and rising habits are essential for a healthy lifestyle. If we want to prevent such incidents in the future, we must prioritize discipline, care and digital restraint in our homes,” he said.

Var also highlighted that PSAJK has recently organized awareness programs on moral education and digital addiction, where prominent doctors, lawyers, educationists, social activists, counsellors, school management members and teachers were invited to speak on the moral education, psychological and physical impact of digital misuse.

Highlighting the concerning rise in such incidents across society, G N Var emphasized the shared responsibility of all stakeholders to take proactive and preventive measures. “The need of the hour is patience and responsibility,” he said. “We must allow the investigation to reach its logical conclusion before drawing conclusions or casting blame.”

G N Var also addressed the media's role in reporting sensitive matters, commending the majority of media houses and journalists for their responsible and fact-based stories. However, he expressed concern over a few individuals who tend to sensationalize such events without waiting for official confirmation from law enforcement agencies.

“Preliminary reports cannot confirm anything at this stage,” he emphasized. “It is not only unwise but also harmful to make exaggerated or speculative claims. The media must remain rooted in facts and uphold public trust.” He reiterated his condolences to the bereaved family, students, and the entire school staff and management while underlining the urgent need for greater focus on moral education, student counselling and regular parent-teacher engagement.

“If we truly want to stop such heartbreaking tragedies, we must build mutual understanding and create a strong, united bond between parents, teachers, and school management,” Var concluded.