Punjab schools switch to four-day week

The Punjab School Education Department announced on Wednesday that all public and private schools across the province would now operate only four days a week, with schools remaining closed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

"Pursuant to the approval of the Competent Authority, it is hereby notified that all public and private schools across Punjab shall remain closed on Friday until further orders, read the notification. 

It further stated that single-shift schools will remain open from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm, while double-shift or afternoon schools will run from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm in the morning and from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm in the afternoon.

On Monday, Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat announced that educational activities in the province would resume from Wednesday, April 1, with regular classes being conducted five days a week. 

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The development, the notification stated, was in continuation of a letter by the HEC dated March 10 regarding the implementation of austerity and fuel conservation measures.

On March 9, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had announced the closure of all educational institutions in the province until the end of the month. Additionally, the Punjab government also imposed restrictions on fuel usage by government officials, as part of efforts to manage the energy shortage in the wake of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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On March 10, federal and provincial governments introduced a range of austerity measures in the wake of rising fuel costs due to the Gulf conflict. The measures included the declaration of an additional weekly holiday to cutting free petrol for ministers, limiting protocol vehicles, and proposing subsidised fuel for students.