Daily Times

LAHORE: Despite announcing summer vacations, the Punjab government on Friday, on multiple requests of parents, announced rescheduling
of school hours amid the harsh weather and recent increase in temperature in last couple of days.

However, the schools would be closed for summer vacations from June 1, as per the previous notification issued by Schools Education Department.

According to a statement issues on Friday, Education Minister Rana Mashood announced that all schools of Punjab would start at 7:30am and would close at 11am, adding that the new timings would be applicable from Monday, May 23.

It is pertinent to mention that the Sindh government has already announced summer vacations after the recent heatwave across the country. After the Sindh government’s decision, parents in Punjab were asking the government to announce summer vacations as early as possible.

However, the Punjab government had already announced summer vacations in Punjab from June 1. Several private educational institutions rejected the decision of the government and announced vacations according to their own schedule.

On the other hand, parents of students and teachers have shown mixed reaction over the decision, stating that the government should follow Sindh government in facilitating the students, teachers as well as their parents. The parents said that their children are getting sick due to the unfavourable weather.

Talking to Daily Times, Nasira, mother of two, said her children study in a private school and have been unwell for last few days. She said after consulting a doctor, it was learnt that her children fell sick due the hot weather.

Nadira was of the view that neither school administration nor Punjab government is thinking about the safety of students. She said that the school has announced the vacation from June 12, which means that students would have to attend school during month of Ramadan. “Rescheduling timings is no doubt a good initiative but it won’t prevent the students from this scorching heat,” she added.

A schoolteacher, Mahrukh, said that Sindh government took a good initiative by providing relief to children as well as teachers by announcing early summer vacations. She further observed that Punjab government should also announce immediate summer vacations on the instructions of Pakistan Meteorological Department, which has predicted a heatwave in the upcoming week. “No matter, there are some examinations being held in schools, but nothing is important than the health of students and teachers,” she added.

Mahrukh said that students would be free from schools from June 1 but teachers have to attend schools for further one week.