The decision by the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department to reopen schools after the summer break amid a relentless heatwave has come under sharp criticism from parents, teachers, and civil society alike—and rightly so. Not only has the department reopened schools in harsh weather conditions, but it has also imposed an illogical and insensitive timing schedule that reflects a deep disconnect from ground realities.
Under the new directive, schools within municipal limits have been asked to function from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, while teachers are required to remain in schools until 2 pm. This is being justified on the pretext of avoiding peak heat hours. However, anyone familiar with the current weather pattern in the Valley would know that temperatures start soaring by early morning. In many areas, the heat is already oppressive by 8 am, and continues to rise steadily, with poorly ventilated government classrooms turning into furnaces before noon.
What is more troubling is that most government schools in the region lack the basic infrastructure to deal with extreme weather conditions. A vast number of them do not even have functional electricity connections, let alone ceiling fans or cooling systems. How, then, is a five- or six-year-old supposed to sit in a boiling hot classroom for four hours? How are teachers expected to continue working in such inhumane conditions till 2 pm without any cooling relief, water, or rest spaces?
While the order attempts to project a structured academic approach, it fails to acknowledge the severe stress such a schedule places on both students and teachers. Children are being forced to wake up as early as 5:30 am to reach schools by 7:30 am, with many of them commuting long distances on overcrowded public transport. The early morning routine is not just inconvenient—it is outright unsafe in the prevailing weather. Sleep-deprived, dehydrated, and weary, children are hardly in a condition to grasp lessons or participate meaningfully in class.
What adds insult to injury is the arbitrary mandate of conducting additional online classes after school hours for some levels. In a place where electricity is erratic and internet connectivity unreliable in many parts, this decision reeks of thoughtless planning. Pushing both offline and online classes on young minds already exposed to physical stress is educational malpractice.
Even the teachers, who form the backbone of the education system, have been reduced to mere attendance figures under this policy. Their presence in schools till 2 pm, long after students are gone, serves no academic purpose. It only adds to their physical discomfort, particularly in institutions that lack clean drinking water and hygienic washrooms, especially for female staff.
More importantly, the department’s refusal to extend the summer vacation—even by a few days—despite repeated pleas from various quarters, is alarming. It sends a clear message that bureaucratic schedules take precedence over student welfare. The timing and implementation of the decision—issued just a day before reopening—has left no room for planning or preparation, catching parents and teachers off guard.
This kind of decision-making not only undermines the credibility of the School Education Department but also erodes public trust in governance. Policies affecting lakhs of children and teachers cannot and should not be taken in haste or without consultation with stakeholders. The need of the hour was a flexible, humane approach—perhaps a staggered reopening, or an extension of the vacation followed by hybrid learning modes until weather conditions improved.
The children of Jammu and Kashmir, already coping with a host of socio-emotional and infrastructural challenges, deserve better. They deserve an education system that puts their health, safety, and comfort first—before rigid calendars and bureaucratic formalities. Unfortunately, what they have received is a summer shock disguised as schooling.
The department must immediately revisit and revise this schedule. It must consult with experts in health, education, and child psychology before enforcing such sweeping changes. And above all, it must remember: a good education policy is not one that merely brings students to classrooms, but one that allows them to thrive once they get there.
