For over three decades, Kashmir has remained synonymous with conflict, curfews and casualties due to Pakistan sponsored terrorism. Generations have grown up amid the echo of gunfire and the shadow of political uncertainty. Yet, beyond the barbed wires and bunkers, another revolution is quietly unfolding – one not waged with bullets but with books. Education, long a casualty of unrest, is increasingly emerging as the most powerful instrument to heal wounds, transform narratives and build sustainable peace in the Valley.
My views in this article explores how education in Kashmir has evolved as a means of reconciliation, empowerment and social transformation. It traces the deep scars left by conflict on the education system, highlights grassroots peace education initiatives and envisions how learning can become the foundation of a peaceful and prosperous future. Few regions in the world have witnessed education disrupted as persistently as in Kashmir. Decades of armed conflict have rendered the school calendar uncertain, with frequent closures due to strikes, curfews or encounters. In some years, students have attended barely half the required academic days.
Schools have not only been collateral damage but at times have become direct targets. During the turbulent years of 2016–2019, more than 30 schools were torched across the Valley. The sight of charred classrooms became a grim metaphor for lost childhoods. Each closure meant not only academic loss but emotional scars – a generation robbed of continuity, discipline and hope. The psychological toll has been immense. According to UNICEF and local NGOs, nearly 75% of families in conflict-affected areas reported that their children’s education was directly impacted by violence or fear. Prolonged exposure to trauma, curfews and military presence has led to rising cases of anxiety, depression and aggression among students.
In many areas, economic hardships compounded the crisis. Parents struggling with livelihood losses could no longer afford tuition or transportation, forcing many children – particularly girls – to drop out. A young girl from Pulwama recalled, “When schools shut down, I wanted to study, but the roads were blocked and the internet was gone. I felt like my dreams were burning with our books.” Yet even amid despair, the yearning for learning has endured and that resilience is shaping a new narrative. Education in conflict zones is not merely about teaching alphabets or arithmetic. It becomes an act of resistance, a means to preserve normalcy and identity. In Kashmir, it is now being reimagined as a pathway to peace a process that fosters coexistence, empathy and civic engagement alongside academics. Peace education goes beyond textbooks. It equips children and youth with life skills – communication, emotional regulation, conflict resolution and mutual respect. It transforms classrooms into safe spaces where students can question, express, and heal.
The guiding principles of peace education in Kashmir include: Empathy and inclusivity – helping students understand diverse perspectives. Dialogue over dispute – teaching negotiation and non-violent communication. Critical thinking – encouraging youth to analyze misinformation and propaganda. Community service – linking education with civic responsibility. This vision moves education away from rote learning to values-based pedagogy. It seeks to replace alienation with agency – showing young people that books, not bullets, can write the story of their future.
Between 2020 and 2025, the Bal Raksha Bharat program, supported by the HCL Foundation, introduced peace and safety education in more than 60 government-run schools across Budgam and Leh. The project sought to mainstream peace pedagogy in the formal school system. Teachers were trained in emotional intelligence, classroom safety and conflict-sensitive education. Students participated in peace clubs where they discussed issues like anger management, gender equality and communication.
Outcomes were remarkable: Over 10,000 children benefited directly from the program. School absenteeism dropped by nearly 20%. Instances of school-based violence and bullying saw measurable decline. Teachers reported improved relationships among students and a healthier classroom environment. At the National Conference on Comprehensive School Safety, the launch of the Comprehensive School Safety Module became a model for integrating peace into education policy. District-level committees were established to sustain and replicate these efforts across Jammu & Kashmir.
The Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation and Standing Together to Enable Peace have been pioneers in youth-led dialogue and peace education in Kashmir. Their programs, conducted in collaboration with local educators have trained hundreds of teachers and youth facilitators in conflict resolution and trauma healing. These workshops blend storytelling, art and meditation to help students process grief and express hope. One Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation initiative, “Youth as Peacebuilders,” held in Srinagar and Kupwara, brought together students from diverse backgrounds to discuss identity, prejudice and peace narratives.
A teacher who participated shared, “For the first time, I learned how to listen – really listen to a child’s pain. We are not just teaching subjects now; we are teaching empathy.” Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation residential camps have created spaces where young Kashmiris can imagine a collective future beyond divisions. Standing Together to Enable Peace partnerships with women’s groups have also localized peace education, embedding it within Kashmiri culture and tradition. When dialogue seems impossible, sports can speak a universal language. Across Budgam, Kupwara and Leh, Sports for Change programs have used games as tools for leadership, discipline and reconciliation. Cricket tournaments between rival neighborhoods, football matches for girls and inter-district sports festivals have transformed playgrounds into arenas of unity. Youth from conflict-affected families find in sports a positive outlet for energy and emotion. A young boy from Tral, once part of street protests, now coaches children in volleyball. “Earlier, I picked up stones. Now, I pick up the ball. It’s lighter, but it carries more power,” he says.
The NOKIA Smartpur initiative has bridged digital divides in rural Kashmir by connecting families to education, healthcare, and governance services. Smartpur centers in Budgam and Kulgam provide digital classrooms and e-learning resources for children affected by internet shutdowns. During COVID-19 lockdowns, when schools were again paralyzed, Smartpur centers became virtual classrooms. This not only sustained learning but also fostered digital literacy a key skill for youth empowerment and peacebuilding in the 21st century. The most powerful aspect of these initiatives is their community-driven approach. Parents, teachers and local leaders are now being engaged as stakeholders in peace education. Community dialogue sessions discuss child rights, safety and emotional well-being. Art competitions, safety audits and disaster-preparedness workshops merge civic learning with peace awareness. Religious and community leaders have also been included to reinforce messages of compassion and mutual respect. By rooting education in community participation, these efforts transform schools from isolated institutions into social sanctuaries of change.
Despite progress, several hurdles continue to obstruct the realization of peace through education in Kashmir. Curriculum gaps: Peace education is not yet formally integrated into the state curriculum. Most programs remain NGO-led and limited in scale. Teacher training: Many teachers lack exposure to peace pedagogy or trauma counseling. Without proper support, they struggle to address the psychological needs of students. Gender inequality: In some rural areas, girls still face mobility and safety concerns, restricting their access to education. Politicization of education: Frequent disruptions due to political unrest or policy shifts continue to destabilize the system. Mental health crisis: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression among youth remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. The challenge lies in moving from pilot projects to policy transformation – making peace education not an exception, but an expectation in every school. The human stories behind these transformations reveal the profound potential of education. In Budgam, a young girl named Shazia once dreaded going to school after her classroom was burned in 2016. Through a peace club formed under the HCL Foundation project, she began participating in sports and debate sessions. Today, she leads her school’s “Safety Committee” and dreams of becoming a teacher.
In Anantnag, Naseer Ahmad a former dropout, returned to education through a vocational training program that combined life skills with counselling. He now mentors local boys, helping them find purpose beyond anger. Teachers, too, have become agents of transformation. A teacher wishing anonmity trained under CDR’s peace program, describes how storytelling changed her classroom: “Instead of punishing students, I now ask them to write their feelings. Anger became poetry; pain became art.” These narratives testify that when given the chance to learn and express, even children born in conflict can become creators of peace.
A long-term peace strategy for Kashmir must view education as a security tool as much as a social service. The following steps can sustain and expand the impact of peace education: Introduce peace education modules into teacher training institutes and school curricula. Establish school-based psychological support systems for trauma management. Ensure safety and transportation for girls in rural areas, while promoting leadership opportunities. Expand e-learning, smart classrooms and community radio to overcome physical and political barriers to education. Revive cultural education as a form of identity preservation and dialogue. Include peace education within the broader National Education Policy framework for Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring accountability and monitoring. Education policy must evolve beyond literacy targets it must aim to rebuild trust, dignity and belonging among Kashmir’s youth. Kashmir’s most powerful transformation may not come from a political accord or military strategy but from a classroom. The blackboard, not the battlefield, holds the blueprint for peace. Education is rewriting the script of a wounded society – turning anger into awareness, despair into dialogue, and conflict into cooperation. The quiet determination of teachers, students and parents is crafting a new vocabulary for peace.
As one student from Kupwara wrote in his essay: “When I read, I don’t hear gunshots. I hear hope.” That hope fragile yet fierce defines the future of Kashmir. If nurtured, it can ensure that the next generation inherits not fear, but freedom; not ruins, but resilience. The road from bullets to books is neither short nor smooth, but every lesson learned, every classroom reopened, every mind awakened is a step toward lasting peace.
