Schools and colleges in the Kashmir Valley will be closed for 2 days because of rising anxiety around public protests over US and Israeli airstrikes in Iran.
The closure will impact all educational institutions, including state colleges such as Kashmir University, which postponed its exams due to lack of safe conditions.
Education Minister Sakina Itoo said the closures were implemented as precautionary measures to protect the welfare of students and staff due to the current volatility in the region.
Background Information: What Caused this Decision to Close
Despite educational institutions being closed due to these strikes on Iranian soil, protests occurring throughout the entire valley, particularly in central Srinagar (Lal Chowk), were instigated by the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was allegedly killed in airstrikes carried out by both the United States and Israel.
Massive crowds protested Khamenei’s death, expressing their anger and sadness through protests where they displayed Iranian flags, signs, and chanted slogans along with demanding that all businesses in the valley should be shut down, which was supported by some local political and spiritual groups.
The authorities have communicated that these closures are intended only as precautionary measures and not to interfere with law and order given the fact that there is a great deal of concern that the public outrage over these attacks can be manipulated or exploited by criminal elements.
Read also: US sinks Iranian warship: Another incident amidst the ongoing battle
Security Measures and Public Order
In addition to the closure of educational institutions, local authorities have put in place security measures in the valley to help maintain order. Examples of the measures include:
- A heavy presence of security personnel in sensitive areas
- Barricading main intersections, such as the one in Lal Chowk in Srinagar
- Reducing or suspending access to mobile internet services in certain areas to help prevent the spread of false information
Officials have assured us that these measures are temporary and will be reviewed regularly based on the current state of the ground.
Read also: US President Donald Trump Claims Destruction of 9 Iranian Naval
Disruption of the Educational Calendar as a Result of School Closures
The timing of the school closures has coincided with an already sensitive period:
- Elementary schools were to reopen on March 2 after being closed for over two months because of the winter holidays.
- Classes for higher grades (9–12) reopened on February 23, while classes in colleges reopened on February 16 after their winter break.
- The abrupt closure of educational institutions will cause a further disruption of the educational calendar. Therefore, revisions of the educational calendar will be announced once the situation stabilises.
Lt. Gov. Manoj Sinha and other officials from Jammu and Kashmir continue to appeal for peace and calm and ask that all communities continue to remain non-violent and abide by the law.
While the security apparatus is at a heightened level of readiness, administrators have stated that they will base their decisions on further closures, the future reopening of educational institutions, and the resumption of examinations on evolving conditions in the field.
A versatile writer mainly works on trending news, daily updates from politics, business, crime, current affairs and entertainment.
