LAHORE: Schools in Punjab may begin their summer vacation earlier than scheduled due to a heatwave alert and the potential Eid-ul-Azha holidays.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) advisory for May, June, and July warns that temperatures across most districts of Punjab from May 7 to 11 are expected to remain above normal, with the risk of a heatwave.
Sources indicate that the possible Eid holidays are likely to fall between May 27 and 29. Since May 30 and 31 are weekend holidays, a longer break is expected, which has prompted speculation that schools could close as early as May 27. Normally, summer vacations are scheduled to start from June 1.
Punjab’s Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat suggested reducing both summer and winter breaks to compensate for learning loss, increasing the total number of academic days from 180 to 190. Meanwhile, private schools have requested permission to run summer camps from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM during the vacation period to help students catch up academically.
The Department of Education stated that the final schedule for summer holidays will be announced after assessing the weather situation and the decisions of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
