Ten schools in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district have been temporarily closed from August 20 to August 23, 2026 due to increasing attacks by stray and aggressive dogs in parts of the district. The decision was to protect young people from danger.
The affected schools are located in Narayanbagarh and Nalgaon areas of Chamoli. Local authorities decided to suspend physical classes after stray and aggressive dogs raised concerns about children travelling to and attending school, according to reports.
Why have 10 schools been closed
Due to the growing dog menace in the area, the temporary closure is happening. Residents, especially parents who have kids to school, are anxious about what dogs do.
So the administration is taking preventive measures instead of exposing students to the threat of possible attack. The closure will be in place for four days, starting on Thursday, August 20 and ending on Sunday, August 23.
The order was issued by Chamoli Chief Education Officer Akash Saraswat, a Chamoli school official said. It follows concerns raised about the safety of students in the affected areas.
Online Classes To Continue
But with the schools still closed, students will not be completely cut off from class. Teachers will still teach online classes during the closure period so that the students still get to study at home.
The objective is to balance safety for the student with the need to minimize disruption to education. Parents would be advised to follow school and local authorities' advice in the case of a temporary closure as children need to be safe and stay home.
Growing Concern Over Student Safety
The incident reflects the bigger issue of stray dog attacks in several parts of India. Schools are also the most susceptible places to attack when stray dogs are present in and around campus and children are more likely to get hurt walking to and from campus.
For families in the Chamoli areas, temporary shut-down is an immediate safety step. The longer-term solution will be to take action on aggressive dogs and prevent more attacks.
But they will continue to monitor the situation and normal school operations will be determined by the local safety assessment after the closure period.
For now, the decision to shut 10 schools underscores the seriousness of the concerns in Chamoli and places student safety at the center of the administration’s response.
