Election 2024: Students rejoice mid-season 9-day holiday

As the nation prepares for the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, students across Pakistan, on the other hand, are rejoicing after being granted a mid-season nine-day holiday.

On Thursday, the Sindh Education Department announced that all private and public schools, colleges, and universities will remain closed from February 6 to February 9.

The government has already declared February 5 as a public holiday in observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day. Furthermore, February 10 and 11, being the weekend, will provide additional days off for students.

The decision to grant leave during this period has been approved by Sindh's Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Bakar, citing the upcoming general elections.

Read more: ECP announces public holiday on February 8

According to details, government educational institutions will be transformed into polling stations for the elections, and personnel will be deployed in various regions. This led to the decision to observe holidays from February 6 to 9.

Officials from the ECP will take control of the educational institutions to convert them into polling stations. Additionally, it has been recommended to install CCTV cameras at sensitive polling stations.

In Islamabad too, all educational institutions will remain closed from February 6 to February 9. The education department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has also announced holidays on these dates.

Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, a day earlier, had also announced four-day election holidays in schools, colleges and universities across the province.

The caretaker CM posted on X. “Important Update: In view of the upcoming general elections on 8th February, Provincial Cabinet has approved that all public and private sector schools, colleges, and universities in Punjab will be closed from Feb 6th to Feb 9th. 9:30 am timing for schools will only be observed till 3rd February. Regular school timings will be observed later on.”

The educational institutions throughout the country will reopen on Monday, February 12.