The Punjab government has announced summer vacations from May 28, 2025 in all government and private schools across the province in view of the intense heat. Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat confirmed the decision and said that this step has been taken keeping in mind the health and safety of children due to the recent heat wave.
Change in School Working Hours
According to the Education Minister, the working hours of schools have also been changed before the start of the vacations to protect children from the effects of intense heat. Now schools will open at 7:30 am and will be dismissed at 11:30 am. This decision has been taken in view of the threat of heatwave.
Appeal to Students and Parents
Rana Sikandar Hayat has appealed to parents, teachers and students to strictly follow safety measures during the heatwave. He said that children should not stay in the sun for long, use more water and prefer to wear light clothes. Instructions have also been issued by the government to ensure all possible safety measures.
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38,000 Government Schools Face Financial Crisis
On the other hand, the education system of Punjab is facing a major financial crisis. According to reports, 38,000 government schools have not released Non-Salary Budget (NSB) for the last 4 months. This budget is for the daily non-salary needs of schools, such as electricity, water, sanitation, teaching materials, and other administrative matters.
Finance Department’s Negligence, Educational Activities Affected
According to sources, the Finance Department approved the release of NSB a month and a half ago, but most of the schools have not received the funds yet. Especially, more than 1,000 government schools in Lahore are facing severe difficulties due to non-payment of non-salary budgets.
Release of Funds Delayed
A total of Rs 129 million was allocated for government schools in Lahore, but the last funds were released on January 25, 2025. The current financial year is about to end, but the second and fourth quarter installments have not been released yet, which is directly affecting the performance of educational institutions.
Concerns Over the Quality of Education
The financial crisis and the intensity of the heat have raised question marks over the education system of Punjab. Due to budget shortage, schools are being deprived of basic facilities, while the summer vacations will provide temporary relief, but if no effective solution to this crisis is found for a long time, the quality of education may be severely affected.
Conclusion
The decision of summer vacations in Punjab is a timely and necessary step to keep children safe from the severity of the weather. However, the government should find an immediate solution to the financial problems faced by schools so that educational activities are not affected. The delay in the non-salary budget not only affects administrative matters but also weakens the learning environment of children. Parents, teachers and the government will have to deal with this crisis together so that the educational future of children is safe.
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