LAHORE – Schools in the provincial capital Lahore are likely to get more holidays after November 17 as residents of the country’s most populated region continue to suffer from toxic air pollution.
Sources familiar with development told Pakistan Observer that the provincial authorities are considering an additional one-month closure for schools across the region as AQI levels remained at hazardous levels and hundreds are hospitalized.
The academic year in Punjab has been drastically shortened, with schools operating for only 120 days, far below the international standard of 245 days for a full academic year.
Punjab Smog Holidays
The smog crisis already forced closure of schools in several regions, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, and Rawalpindi. Schools up to grade 12 are expected to shift to online teaching in response to the environmental hazards posed by the thickening smog.
For first time, holidays were announced at the beginning of November, with winter vacations for December further adding to the extended break. Amid the worrisome situation, Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat acknowledged the educational setback but stressing that the health and safety of children is of paramount importance.
The minister further explained that decision to close schools was based on complaints received from local districts regarding the increasing smog levels.
Punjab government also contemplated online education and the duration of the proposed school holidays in the coming days. As smog continues to affect daily life in major cities.
