Final decision regarding extension of summer vacations today: DSEK
Srinagar Jul 6: Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Dr GN Itoo on Sunday said that the department was ready with alternate strategies to beat the heat wave and conduct academic activities while ensuring safety of the school going children.
The statement comes amid the demand for extension of summer vacation as the schools are scheduled to reopen after 15-days summer vacation on July 8, 2025.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, DSEK G N Itoo said a meeting will be convened by the administrative department to take a final decision regarding extension of summer vacations.
"As per the latest weather report, the temperature will slightly go down in coming days so our decision regarding reopening of schools will be in the interest of the students and backed by logical factors," he told Greater Kashmir.
He further said that the department was ready with an alternative strategy to beat the heat wave and conduct academic activities without compromising on the safety of students. "A meeting will be convened by the administrative department and we will devise a strategy to ensure that students do not face any difficulty," he said without divulging the details about the strategy. "We will inform the public and parents accordingly once the meeting will be held on Monday," he said.
He however said that parents, teachers and students should not pay any heed to rumours about extension in summer vacation until official announcement is made by the government.
"The temperature has gone slightly down from 37 degree Celsius (on Saturday) to 33 degree Celsius on Sunday. So depending upon the weather advisory and other factors, we will accordingly decide about reopening of schools," Itoo told Greater Kashmir.
As the schools are scheduled to reopen on July 8, a debate has started on social media where stakeholders suggest that schools should reopen and continue with morning timing while others say that reopening schools amid the prevailing heat wave will be detrimental for the students.
Besides suggestions of reduced school timings, some stakeholders suggest that the government should switch to online mode of education for some time till there is any respite from the heat wave. Amid the debate, all eyes are on the government's review meeting scheduled on Monday.
Meanwhile, a top official said that switching to online mode will not serve any purpose for students in rural areas as has been experienced in Covid-19 period.
"We all know that students in rural areas do not get benefitted from online mode of education as their parents are mostly labourers who leave their homes in morning and return in evening. The students do not have direct access to the mobile phones," the official said. As already reported, the 15-days summer vacations for schools were announced from June 23 to July 7 of 2025. As per the schedule, the schools will reopen from July 8 of 2025, in case no extension is announced by the School Education Department (SED).
