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As a Teacher, I See Students Losing Ground in Cold Kashmir
Kashmir Observer
|JANUARY 8, 2026 ISSUE
I teach in a far-flung area of Kashmir, and every winter I face the same question from parents and students: who will teach our children when schools close?
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Schools in the valley shut for nearly three months during December, January, and February because of extreme cold. This means children study for only nine months in a year.
For many students, especially those in primary and middle classes, this long break causes a serious gap in learning. By the time schools reopen in March, many children forget what they learned earlier.
Education is beyond books and exams. It shapes thinking, builds character, and prepares children for life. India recognised this long ago.
In 2002, Parliament passed the 86th Constitutional Amendment, making education a fundamental right. Article 21-A promises free and compulsory education to every child. The United Nations also stresses this through its Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for fair and quality education for all by 2030.
This story is from the JANUARY 8, 2026 ISSUE edition of Kashmir Observer.
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