Punjab’s Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat Khan, has explained the reason behind the extension of summer holidays in the province’s schools.
On Friday, the Punjab Education Department announced that the summer break would be prolonged, a decision shared by Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat through his social media account. According to him, all schools across Punjab will now reopen on September 1 instead of the earlier scheduled date.
Explaining the decision, the minister said it was made due to the intensifying heatwave in the province. He acknowledged that the extension could affect students’ learning, but stressed that children’s health and safety were the government’s top priority.
Previously, the summer break in Punjab schools was set to end on August 14.
Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association has rejected the extension until August 31, calling it unjustified. The association pointed out that private schools in Islamabad reopened on August 4, and in other provinces, schools are operating as per the regular schedule. It urged the Punjab education minister to reconsider the decision.