Srinagar: The School Education Department (SED) of Jammu and Kashmir has issued an order today, hastening summer vacation for pre-primary and primary classes in all government and recognised private schools in the Kashmir division. The decision to start the vacation from tomorrow, June 26, instead of the previously scheduled date of July 1, comes in light of the ‘consistent rise in temperature across the region’.
This move follows a previous order issued by the Director School Education, Dr Tasadduq Hussain, declaring summer vacation for all schools up to the higher secondary level from July 1. The fresh order is in continuation of that,
Citing concerns for the well-being of students, the Education Department had earlier issued an advisory to schools, advising precautionary measures to safeguard students, particularly the younger ones, from the adverse effects of the intense heat. The advisory emphasized the prohibition of outdoor activities, including assemblies and sports, during peak temperatures. It also stressed the provision of clean drinking water and well-ventilated transport facilities for students.
According to an official in the Education Department, there have been numerous complaints from students regarding on-going outdoor play activities in the scorching sun, particularly in schools lacking basic amenities such as fans and clean drinking water sources. Several cases of heat exhaustion and heat strokes among students have resulted in hospitalization over the past week.
To ensure the safety and comfort of students, medical professionals have advised individuals, especially the young and elderly, to avoid outdoor activities between 11 am and 5 pm, when temperatures reach their peak.
The decision to reschedule the summer vacation aims to provide relief to students and safeguard their health during the prevailing heatwave. The revised break will shortly follow the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha on June 29, granting children an extended period of holidays to rejuvenate and recover.
In recent days, Kashmir has had very hot days with the mercury touching 35 degrees Celsius, the highest recorded for June in the past five years. The Meteorology and Remote Sensing Department predicts mostly dry and hot days in the coming weeks, with occasional light showers reported in some parts of the Kashmir Valley intermittently.