Examiner Bureau | Srinagar, Mar 9: After more than three months of silence, classrooms across the Kashmir Valley once again echoed with the voices of students as both government and private schools reopened on Monday following the annual winter vacation.
Educational institutions in the Valley had remained closed since December as part of the winter break announced by the School Education Department, a routine measure taken each year due to harsh weather conditions during the peak winter months.
With the gradual improvement in weather and overall situation in the region, schools resumed academic activities across all districts of Kashmir. The decision to reopen institutions was announced a day earlier by Education Minister Sakina Itoo after reviewing the prevailing ground situation.
“After reviewing the ground situation, we have decided to reopen educational institutions in all districts of Kashmir from Monday,” the minister said on Sunday while confirming the resumption of classes.
The reopening also comes after a brief period of uncertainty last week when the government ordered the closure of schools and colleges across the region as a precautionary measure following protests triggered by reports of the killing of Ali Khamenei in joint strikes reportedly carried out by the United States and Israel.
On Monday morning, school campuses across the Valley witnessed a familiar scene as students, dressed in uniforms and carrying school bags, returned to their classrooms. Teachers welcomed the reopening with renewed enthusiasm, hoping for a stable academic session ahead.
Parents also expressed relief at the resumption of regular classes after months of winter break and recent disruptions. Many said they were hopeful that the academic calendar would proceed smoothly without further interruptions.
In Kashmir, the winter vacation traditionally extends from December to early March due to freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall that make travel and classroom heating difficult. The reopening of schools therefore marks not only the return of students to classrooms but also the symbolic end of the Valley’s long winter lull.
For thousands of students across the region, Monday signalled a fresh academic beginning—one that educators and families alike hope will continue uninterrupted in the months ahead.
