J&K schools to reopen on July 8 after summer break with new timings

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday announced that school will reopen from Tuesday following the summer vacation. The government announcement came despite demand from parents in Kashmir that the summer vacation be extended because of the intense heatwave.

Minister of School Education, Sakina Itoo took to X stating the government has decided to reopen schools from Tuesday in Kashmir Division and winter zones of Jammu Division.

The minister said in Srinagar and other municipal limits, the school timings will remain from 7:30 am to 11:30 am. For schools, outside municipal limits (rural) the timing of schools will be from 8 am to 12 noon. She said after a one-hour break, two online classes will follow.

“Teachers will remain available till 2 pm,” she said, adding that all heads of the institutes must ensure online classes are conducted without exception.

The new school timings, however, were criticised by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. PDP leader Iltija Mufti said, “Dragging groggy children to school at 7:30 am in this scorching heat, especially when so many government schools lack fans, is illogical and cruel.”

“What about remote far-flung areas? Are they expected to leave home at the crack of dawn?,” she said.

“Far from relief, does the addition of online classes towards the end take into consideration how fatigued these kids will be or that some can’t afford smartphones,” she asked.

“...Wondering who came up with this absurd and preposterous hybrid diktat,” she added.