Educational institutions in the border regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab reopened on Wednesday after days of closure due to heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan. The reopening comes as a relief to thousands of students and teachers, following a ceasefire agreement reached between the two nations on May 10.
In the Kashmir Valley, schools and colleges in the border districts of Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora resumed classes after a week-long shutdown. However, institutions located in close proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) remained closed as a precautionary measure. Schools in other parts of the Valley had already reopened on Tuesday.
“We are meeting our friends and teachers. We are very happy that there is a ceasefire and we can restart our studies. We will now focus on our regular classes,” said Talib Dar, a student from Baramulla. Teachers echoed the sentiment, emphasising the importance of peace in ensuring consistent education.
“Students are feeling happy. Everyone understands that peace makes way for development and progress. We are thankful to God that the situation improved and we are back to schools. The exuberance is back in schools,” said Zahoor Ahmad, a government school teacher.
Similar scenes were reported from the border districts of Punjab, including Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Fazilka, and Ferozepur. These districts had remained shut longer than others due to their proximity to the border. Schools in Gurdaspur reopened on Tuesday, while those in the other five districts welcomed students back on Wednesday.
"We are reopening school today as per the government guidelines," said a teacher at Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, at Attari in Amritsar. Local authorities have adjusted school timings to ensure student safety, with classes in Amritsar running from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. In Pathankot, student attendance reportedly reached 80 percent on the first day of reopening.
Toiba Mushtaq, a student from Sopore in Kashmir, expressed relief over the ceasefire. “We are happy now. We were tensed during the conflict because affected our studies. We were worried that it would give us only limited time to finish our syllabus. So, we are very happy that the ceasefire happened,” she said.
Abdul Majeed, a teacher in north Kashmir, praised the peace efforts. “Both the children and the teachers are elated. We were eagerly awaiting the reopening of schools. Conflict affects children, so these steps taken by both the countries are in a positive direction. We are thankful to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team for realising the importance of peace. We welcome this step,” he said.
With life gradually returning to normal, markets in Punjab’s border towns have also become busy again, reinforcing a sense of stability. Both students and educators hope that the ceasefire will hold, allowing academic schedules to continue uninterrupted and the region to move forward in peace.
With inputs from PTI