Acting on the directives of Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has rolled out major reforms in the education sector, including the introduction of a semester-based system in schools across the province’s summer and winter zones.
The new framework, set to begin at the nursery to grade 8 level, will split the academic year into two terms – fall and spring.
In the summer zone, the academic calendar will start on September 1, with the fall semester running until December 31. The spring semester will run from January 16 to May 31. For schools in the winter zone, the year will commence on March 1, with the spring term lasting until June 30, while the fall term will span from August 1 to December 22.
Each semester will conclude with examinations, and both results will carry equal weight in the final evaluation. To lighten students’ workload, the government is considering splitting the syllabus into two parts, aligning it with the two semesters.
While the existing vacation schedule will largely remain in place, minor adjustments may be made. The government also plans to use holidays for student enrollment campaigns, free textbook distribution, teacher training, and seasonal camps designed to enhance extracurricular and technical skills.
Officials noted that maintaining distinct calendars for summer and winter zones was crucial due to different weather patterns. They added that the semester system would not only enhance academic performance but also make more efficient use of government resources while providing students with broader opportunities for personal growth.