Educators reject school closures
The notification outlines a comprehensive list of national significance days and religious festivals for Muslims and minority communities. PHOTO: FILE
The three major associations representing private educational institutions have strongly criticised the closure of schools, colleges and universities from March 10 to March 31, describing the decision as a serious blow to the country's teaching and learning system. They have demanded the immediate reopening of all educational institutions.
According to the leaders of the associations, February and March are among the most crucial months in the academic calendar, as they are key periods for teaching, admissions and examination preparation.
Abrar Ahmed Khan, President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, said that a country where 200 out of 365 days are holidays cannot hope to achieve meaningful educational progress.
He added that private school representatives had repeatedly staged protests over excessive holidays, yet the issue remained unresolved, leaving the teaching system severely disrupted.
Irfan Muzaffar Kiani, President of the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association, said that the period from February to the end of March is the peak season for new admissions, annual examinations and coaching classes for matriculation and intermediate students.
He warned that keeping institutions closed for most of March would seriously undermine the education system, as students' studies were already being affected.
He noted that special preparatory classes for matriculation and intermediate examinationsnormally conducted in schools before board examinations — had been suspended due to the closures.
"With students remaining idle just three weeks before their examinations, their preparation will inevitably suffer," he said, urging the authorities to reopen senior classes without delay.
Meanwhile, Malik Naseem Ahmed, President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Association (Registered), called for the immediate reopening of Classes 9, 10, First Year and Second Year, as their board examinations are imminent and students require proper preparation.
He remarked that even countries facing conflict keep their educational institutions open, adding that closing them in Pakistan was difficult to comprehend and detrimental to education.
He further noted that admissions for Classes I to VIII are currently underway, and warned that the closure of schools could also undermine efforts to bring out-of-school children into the education system.
Survey to document out-of-school-children
On the other hand, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has launched a comprehensive "No Child Left Behind" door-to-door survey and enrolment campaign across Union Councils in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to identify and enrol out-of-school children.
The initiative aims to ensure that every child in ICT has access to education by conducting a detailed household survey at the Union Council level. The campaign is being carried out with the joint participation of education sector stakeholders, government departments and private organisations. Under the campaign, the Directorate General of Basic Education Community Schools will survey nine Union Councils.
BECS formally launched its field survey on Monday, March 9, 2026, from Dhobi Ghaat, G-6/2, Islamabad, where survey teams started door-to-door visits to gather information on out-of-school children and encourage parents to enrol them in nearby educational institutions.