Punjab announces 7-day holiday for schools due to heatwave.
The Punjab government has extended holiday for schools by an additional seven days due to heatwave.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar made the announcement on Monday via a post on X, stating that all public and private schools will remain closed from May 25 to 31.
“Considering parents’ concerns and the severe weather, we decided to extend the holidays starting this week,” Sikandar said.
He also mentioned that private schools conducting examinations could remain open under certain conditions, prioritizing student safety from the extreme heat.
Earlier, on May 17, the Punjab government announced the annual summer vacations for schools across the province.
The vacations are set to begin on June 1 and continue until August 14. Additionally, due to the severe heat, school hours were reduced. Schools are now open from 7am to 11:30am from Monday to Thursday and from 7am to 10:30am on Fridays.
معزز اساتذہ اکرام اور والدین کی رائے ہمارے لیے اہم اور بچوں کا تحفظ ہمیشہ مقدم رہے گا۔ آئیں موسمیاتی تبدیلی سے نمٹنے کے لیے انفرادی اور اجتماعی سطح پر عملی اقدامات اُٹھائیں۔ pic.twitter.com/sR0ePjbxu3
— Rana Sikandar Hayat (@RanaSikandarH) May 20, 2024
Despite these measures, the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) rejected the decision to start summer vacations from June 1.
The association demanded that schools be allowed to operate from 7am to 10am from June 1 to June 15.
They argued that closures due to extreme weather or other emergencies have become too frequent, disrupting academic activities.
APPSMA also called for limited summer camps for classes IX and X and requested a revision of the vacation schedule.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of an impending heatwave, with conditions likely to worsen due to high atmospheric pressure.
They forecast that temperatures in Punjab could rise 4 to 6°C above normal from May 21 to 23 and 6 to 8°C from May 23 to 27, potentially leading to severe heatwave conditions across the region.
