K-P to introduce semester system in schools

New academic calendar to begin from September in summer zone, March in winter zone

PESHAWAR:

On the directives of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, the provincial government has initiated major reforms in the education sector, including the restructuring of the academic calendar by introducing a semester system in schools across the province’s summer and winter zones.

Under the new system, which will initially be implemented from nursery to grade 8, the academic year will be divided into fall and spring semesters.

In the summer zone, the academic year will commence on September 1, with the fall semester running from September 1 to December 31. The spring semester will begin on January 16 and continue until May 31. In the winter zone, the academic year will start on March 1, with the spring semester stretching from March 1 to June 30, followed by the fall semester from August 1 to December 22.

Each semester will have separate examinations, with both sets of results carrying equal weightage in the final assessment. To reduce the burden of textbooks, the government is considering dividing the curriculum into two parts for the two semesters.

The existing holiday schedule in both zones will largely remain unchanged, though slight adjustments may be made. Vacation periods will also be utilised for enrollment drives, free distribution of textbooks, teacher training programmes, as well as summer and winter camps focusing on both co-curricular and technical skills development.

Officials said that maintaining separate academic calendars for summer and winter zones was necessary due to varying climatic conditions. They added that the reform would not only provide students with better opportunities for learning and extracurricular activities but would also ensure the efficient use of government resources.