Schools in Punjab to remain closed for nine days due to election

LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet has decided to keep province-wide public and private educational institutes closed from February 6 to 9 amid preparations for the February 8 polls.

The Punjab government said all schools, colleges and universities would remain closed meanwhile.

It should be noted that it is Saturday and Sunday on February 3 and 4 respectively, February 5 is already a public holiday on account of Kashmir Day and February 10 and 11 are falling in the weekend. So, the educational institutes will remain shut for nine days.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said viewing the upcoming general elections on February 8, the provincial cabinet had approved that all public and private sector schools, colleges, and universities in Punjab will be closed from February 6 to 9.

However, he said, the 9:30am opening timing for schools will only be observed till February 3. Regular school timings will be observed later on, he added.

It is important to note that the yearly winter break for schools in Punjab started on December 18, 2023. Initially scheduled to end on January 1, 2024, it was extended until January 09, 2024, due to severe and chilly weather conditions. With no respite in sight even after that subsequently, there was a modification in school timings, with classes now beginning at 9:30 am.

On January 8, the provincial government had announced a change in schools' timings — which were to start at 9:30 am from January 10 till 22. The decision was taken because of cold and smoggy weather condition.

Given the persisting cold weather conditions, the Punjab School Education Department had earlier extended the winter holidays of public and private educational institutions till January 9.

On January 10, Mohsin Naqvi had announced that classes for school students in grade one and below would remain suspended for one more week in light of the prevailing cold wave that had gripped the province.

Naqvi, holding an emergency meeting at Lahore’s Children’s Hospital, had said that the government had decided to also postpone exams — for grades 1-10 — after the death of 36 children due to pneumonia in the province.