This year, for the first time, Kashmir witnessed a heat wave of this intensity wherein the day temperature soared above 35 degrees in the month of June.
On July 5, the Kashmir Valley recorded the temperature of 37.4 degrees Celsius after 72 years, which was the hottest day of this season. Climate change, temperature, and prolonged dry spells in Kashmir broke many records this year.
The prevailing heat wave took a toll on people who were not prepared or had never experienced this kind of a heat wave.
As the temperatures continued to rise in the Valley, it eventually led to growing demands from stakeholders for the early announcement of summer vacations for schools across Kashmir.
The education minister first made an announcement for a 10-day summer vacation from July 1 of 2025 owing to the demands from the stakeholders.
But as the temperature continued to rise, the government ordered 15-day early summer vacations for the schools in Kashmir from June 23 to July 07 of 2025.
Besides schools, the summer vacation was announced for colleges way ahead of scheduled breaks as per the already framed annual academic calendar of the Higher Education Department (HED).
In view of soaring temperatures, the J&K Higher Education Department announced a 10-day summer break for colleges of the Kashmir division from June 24.
The department preponed the summer vacation that was earlier slated to be observed from July 15, 2025.
As the summer vacation period for schools nears its end, the stakeholders remain divided on extending vacations. One faction demanded an extension of the vacation for a few more days, while others demanded that schools should reopen from the scheduled date (July 8) with reduced schooling hours.
The debate started as there was no respite from the heat wave in Kashmir, following which stakeholders suggested an extension of summer vacations.
But the demand for an extension in the summer vacation raised questions on how the government prepared to face the heat wave in schools. While the voices grew for extension, the government kept fingers crossed and prayed for respite in the heat wave.
As per the stakeholders, an extension in the vacations is not the only solution to heat and cold waves, as they say it will adversely impact the education of the children.
However, the other faction believes that reopening schools amid the prevailing heat wave will prove detrimental for the kids, mostly those enrolled from primary to middle level.
The persistent heat wave and the demand for extension of summer vacations have put a spotlight on government readiness to ensure proper facilities in schools.
The government already pocketed criticism after it issued heatwave guidelines to schools to ensure the safety of the schoolchildren.
In that advisory, the department focused on ensuring proper ventilation, availability of water, coolers and other facilities for the students.
Both the teachers and parents questioned the government for issuing an advisory saying that the majority of the schools are poorly ventilated while none of the schools have fans installed in classrooms and students of more than one class, in the majority of schools, are crammed in a single room.
Maybe it was the pressure of the public criticism which forced the department to announce early summer vacations.
Now as the schools are likely to reopen after summer vacation, the demand for extension in summer vacations here has been rising significantly.
Due to the ongoing heat wave, some stakeholders argue that students are unable to cope with the heat wave.
With no relief from the heat wave in Kashmir, the School Education Department has already ordered a change in the school timings, now operating from 8am to 1pm.
However, not all stakeholders are happy with this decision, as they believe that the kids have to travel from schools when the heat wave is at its peak.
Some stakeholders insist that the only solution to escape the heat wave is to extend summer vacation for schools.
Now coming to the point. The demand for an extension of summer vacation arises from some quarters because the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate. Our schools lack proper facilities to provide a comfortable environment for students in extreme hot or cold weather conditions.
The parents of students in private schools are more vocal in demanding an extension of summer vacation, claiming that their children are affected by the heat wave.
However, no one is underlining the importance of infrastructure in these schools. In case these schools have the required funds, as they charge an annual fee, why shouldn’t they provide the facilities? And in case these schools are struggling in terms of finances, why shouldn’t they be allowed to include these provisions in the annual charges? In both cases the government officials should take a call and ensure that facilities are put in place for the students. This does not only apply to the private sector but to the government sector as well.
Apart from the state budget, the School Education Department (SED) annually receives a whopping amount of funds under Samagra Shiksha, wherein some funds are exclusively meant for strengthening the infrastructure in the schools.
The fact is that the School Education Department does not have any dearth of funds, be it the money released under Samagra Shiksha or the state share and district capex budget, but the problem is with the utilisation of the funds available to the department.
Besides the funds sanctioned from the Ministry of Education (MoE) of the Government of India to strengthen the infrastructural standards in schools, these institutions also receive annual grants for maintenance and facelifts. These funds can also be used to install fans and coolers in the schools in a phased manner.
The department should supervise proper utilisation of these funds.
But, unfortunately, the majority of the schools are still operating from dingy, shabby rooms having no facets to be called schools.
Due to this reason, parents are compelled to bring their demand to the government to close schools because of inadequate facilities.
In Kashmir, there are over 3,000 private schools, but only a few have fans or ACs in classrooms, and in the case of government schools, the facility of proper ventilation is still a distant dream, not to talk of fans and ACs.
This is the reason why parents are demanding an extension of summer vacation.
In its already issued heat wave advisory, the SED asked students to bring water bottles to the school, but bringing water bottles from home or providing water at school is not a solution to the heat wave. If the department genuinely aims to meet the target of working days as per the academic calendar, it must ensure that basic facilities are available in government schools to accommodate students in all weather conditions.
At present, extending summer vacations may seem a solution to avoid heat waves, but what if the weather conditions in coming years remain the same? Should we order closure of schools at that time as well? The answer is no, because one fine morning we have to adapt ourselves to the prevailing weather conditions and prepare our kids as well.
But only preparing our kids is not the solution. Side by side, we have to make our educational institutions in government as well as the private sector fully equipped with the basic facilities to combat the heat wave or the cold wave.
Temporarily, one important alternative way could be to switch over to online classes for a brief period. Since the COVID pandemic, online classes were a norm for some time. Such a model could be adopted in case of extended severe heat or cold waves.
The second option available with the government is to continue with morning time in schools but with careful thought to the sleep of children and academic time needed for them to keep pace with the syllabus.
We all know, after a few months, similar voices will grow again, if not for the extension of summer vacation but for the early closure of schools due to the onset of winters.
All stakeholders, be they parents or teachers, and most importantly the concerned authorities, besides the academicians, should join hands to make the education system better and all-weather feasible. Because a collective effort is needed to strengthen our education system.
Let good sense prevail. It is important for all stakeholders to meet periodically and ensure that all decisions taken are in the larger interest of the student community, keeping in view their overall personality development.
