Punjab shifts to four-day school week

LAHORE:

Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat on Wednesday said that all public and private schools across the province would remain closed on Fridays, with classes taking place four days a week.

According to a notification by the Punjab School Education Department shared by Hayat on X, "Pursuant to approval of the competent authority, it is hereby notified that all public and private schools across Punjab shall remain off on Friday till further orders."

Under the new schedule, schools with a single shift will operate from Monday to Thursday from 8am to 1:30pm. Meanwhile, schools with double shifts will have the morning session from 8:00am to 12:30pm, and the afternoon session from 1:00pm to 5:30pm.

The development comes the same day that educational activities in the province resumed following a break amid the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.

Lockdown

The Punjab government has decided not to impose a smart lockdown in the province, according to sources, following recommendations presented to the chief minister.

The sources within the Punjab government told Express Tribune that the decision came after no consensus could be reached on implementing a smart lockdown for energy conservation. Instead, the government has opted to adopt alternative measures.

Discussions are underway to convene the next meeting of the austerity monitoring committee next week. The meeting will review the extension of earlier decisions and present a report on the outcomes of the committee's first session.

In line with the austerity measures adopted amid the global energy crisis, the Punjab government has suspended the purchase of 100 vehicles for various departments. Sources confirmed that no new orders have been issued and no payments have been made for vehicle procurement.

Officials also expressed concerns that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could disrupt several development projects. Two bulletproof vehicle purchases have been halted, while departments are expected to continue using existing vehicles for the time being. Any future vehicle acquisitions will be limited to hybrid or electric models, the sources said.

Acting in the same spirit, 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, remaining closed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Punjab also expanded remote work in government offices, allowing only essential staff to report to workplaces while others performed duties from home. In addition, authorities curtailed official outdoor events and postponed several public gatherings.