Although five days have passed since the announcement of the "understanding" between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan to restore peace along the borders, the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department has decided not to reopen schools located close to the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC).
On Wednesday, the School Education Department announced to reopening of schools in some cities and towns that had been closed following the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7. While a few more schools resumed operations on Thursday, the department clarified that it would continue to review the security situation before making a decision regarding the reopening of schools in border areas.
On Thursday evening, the Director of School Education issued a fresh order stating that schools in border areas would reopen on May 19, 2025.
Reports indicate that many school buildings and related infrastructure in these regions have been severely damaged due to intense cross-border shelling, posing a major challenge to the immediate resumption of normal classes.
Jammu has a 198-km-long International Border—stretching from Kathua (bordering Punjab) to Akhnoor, north of Jammu—manned by the Border Security Force (BSF). The Indian Army guards 224.5 km of the LoC south of the Pir Panjal range in the Jammu region.
There are over 800 schools within a 0–5 km radius of border villages, which either remain closed or face frequent disruptions due to shelling from across the border. These schools collectively cater to an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 students.
In Samba district alone, there are nearly 130 schools situated along the IB, while Jammu district has around 250 such schools in its border areas. Similarly, over 250 schools are located along the LoC in Poonch district, and more than 80 in Rajouri. In Kathua district, over 50 schools lie within a 0–5 km range of the IB.
Following the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir ordered the closure of all schools in the border districts of the Union Territory. The move came in response to the escalation of cross-border shelling and abortive attempts by the Pakistani Army to target vital installations.
While the "understanding" to cease military actions has led to the phased reopening of schools in non-border areas, schools in sensitive border belts are scheduled to reopen only on Monday.
Border residents said that the disruption of the function of schools has become a routine affair in their area. They demanded that a comprehensive policy be formulated for the education of the students of the vulnerable zones near the IB and LoC.
