Students in J&K face uncertain future as schools face closure

Local reports say that the SIA found links between these schools and a trust linked to a banned group

Almost 600 students in Budgam are faced with uncertainty over their futures as they fear that the secondary school might close because of an affiliation with a banned trust which has now come under the watch of the State Investigative Agency.

Citing local media sources, NDTV reports that the SIA discovered that these schools were involved in the 2010 and 2016 Kashmir civilian disturbances, and have been teaching Jihadi literature.

The secondary school in Budgam is one of many others where the management says that the school was delinked from the Falah-e-Aam. However, sources tell NDTV that about 20 schools in the Budgam district face closure.

The administration has instructed authorities in the education department to close the institutions within the next 15 days. The decision followed the State Investigative Agency’s (SIA) discovery of the schools’ alleged link to the Jamaat-backed trust.

The recognition of all schools affiliated with the Jamaat-affiliated trust has been revoked, according to the order. The government proclaimed the Jamaat-e-Islami, a political-religious party, a banned organisation in 2019.

"We don't know why we were banned. We only follow a government-approved syllabus and adhere to instructions from the government," Showkat Ahmad Var, Director, Falah Aam Trust told NDTV.

The chief education officers of all districts have been instructed to close these schools within 15 days and relocate the children to government-run schools.

Only seven schools are directly associated with the Falah Aam Trust, according to the organisation, which denies any separatist activity.

Sajad Lone, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference, has called the move discriminatory and claimed that the government is deliberately targeting Kashmiris.