Punjab Education Dept. to Finalize School Holidays and Academic Calendar After LHC Directive

The Punjab School Education Department has convened a high-level meeting today at the Civil Secretariat, Lahore, to deliberate on the formulation of a uniform holiday schedule and annual academic calendar for both public and private schools across the province.

The meeting was called in compliance with directives issued by Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench. While hearing a petition filed by student Danial Hassan against the extension of summer vacations, the judge, on August 27, instructed the department to devise special rules for announcing school holidays and to prepare a year-long academic framework.

Participants in the session include the secretaries of school education, special education, and law and parliamentary affairs; the Advocate General Punjab; Advocate Hafiz Wawar Ahmed, counsel for the petitioner; Mian Imran Masood, president of the Pakistan Education Council; Abrar Ahmed Khan, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APSMA) North; Nighat Ali, executive director of Lahore Grammar School; Ali Raza, group director of Beaconhouse; Dr. Mariam Chughtai, director of the National Curriculum Council of Pakistan; Umer Salamat, representative of the SICAS school system; and four representatives of other private school networks.

According to APSMA North President Abrar Ahmed, attendees will present their written recommendations, and the final draft of rules will be framed after comprehensive deliberations.

The court’s directive came after the Education Department failed to adequately explain the provincial government’s decision to extend summer vacations until August 31 without a valid justification.