LAHORE: The Education Minister of Punjab, Rana Sikandar Hayat has announced that a final decision regarding the summer vacation schedule for schools in the province has not yet been made.
The minister stated that the government will assess the situation and the educational requirements after May 15 before officially releasing the vacation schedule.
According to a proposed plan, there will be a decrease in the duration of summer holidays during this year, with the duration of summer holidays being cut down to around 15 to 20 days. The reason behind making such changes was the need to compensate for educational loss and make more teaching hours available.
With the above-mentioned proposal, the number of teaching days can go from 180 to 190 days in the academic year so as to complete the syllabus efficiently.
Moreover, it is also being considered by the government to reduce winter vacation by around 5 to 6 days under reforms of the academic calendar. “Extended vacation adversely affects the education of the students, and the government wants to increase teaching time,” Hayat stated.
Minister also stated that the practice of having a Friday holiday because of the increased price of fuel and energy crisis will not continue to be practiced permanently. In the next few weeks, the government is set to consult with the federal government in order to stop the practice of having Friday holidays.
Notably, the Friday holiday became necessary as a measure adopted to ensure online learning amidst the prevailing energy crisis situation.
