Punjab private schools oppose Friday closures under energy-saving plan

Lahore: Private school organisations in Punjab have opposed the provincial government’s decision to add Friday to the weekly closure schedule for educational institutions under an energy-saving programme, and said they plan to challenge the move in the High Court.

According to an official notification issued by the Education Department, all public and private educational institutions across Punjab, including the six districts of Rawalpindi Division, will now remain closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Under the new schedule, schools will hold classes from Monday to Thursday, with working hours fixed from 8am to 1.30pm.

The decision comes amid a fresh petroleum products crisis, under which the department has announced the revised closure pattern as part of an energy conservation measure.

Private school bodies reject decision

Private education representatives said the additional weekly closure would damage academic activity and reduce already limited teaching time.

Irfan Muzaffar Kiyani, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association, said schools had already remained shut for 21 days in March and argued that three weekly holidays would further hurt students’ learning.

He said that from 1 June, schools would again close for about two and a half months. He added that between now and 31 May, there would be 27 holidays falling on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and with three more days for Eidul Azha, the total would rise to 30 holidays. According to him, that would leave only around 30 effective teaching days over the next two months.

Kiyani described the situation as unfair and said the first 10 days of April would also be spent by parents buying new textbooks, uniforms and stationery. He called for the immediate withdrawal of Friday and Saturday holidays.

Concerns over impact on education

Malik Naseem Ahmed, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools Association (Registered), also criticised the decision and alleged that the government was deliberately weakening the education system.

He said schools had repeatedly been closed over the past year on different grounds and warned against bringing the teaching process to a standstill. Comparing the situation with other countries, he said that even in places facing conflict, schools and markets remained open, while unnecessary closures were being imposed locally.

The Education Department’s notification applies to both government-run and privately managed institutions throughout Punjab. With the new arrangement, the province’s schools are to observe three weekly holidays, while academic activities are to continue only from Monday through Thursday.

Private school bodies have maintained that the measure will be harmful for teaching and learning, and have said they will seek legal recourse against it.