Schools in Kashmir set to reopen tomorrow

Schools in Kashmir are scheduled to reopen on Monday after remaining shut for nearly seven months following the abrogation of Article 370.

Officials of the Jammu and Kashmir education department said all arrangements had been put in place for the students to attend schools after the institutions remained shut for months since August after scrapping of its special status and due to winter break.

The government had made several efforts last year to reopen the schools in a phased manner, but it failed to bear any fruit as the parents kept their wards at home due to apprehensions about their safety.

Towards the end of the year, few schools opened, but students were asked to attend classes without wearing school uniforms.

Kashmir School Education Director Mohammad Younis Malik said all arrangements had been put in place and the timing for the schools falling within Srinagar's municipal limits will be 10am-3pm, while in the rest of Kashmir division, the timing will be 10.30am-3.30pm.

The director urged the teachers to work with dedication for building capacities of the students for their better future.

"It's our responsibility to extend our support to them and redouble efforts to get their syllabus completed well in time," the director said.

He instructed the field officers to visit schools regularly to monitor the follow up of academic planner for timely accomplishment of the set targets.