LAHORE – The provincial authorities in Punjab announced 20-day Winter Vacations amid smog mayhem in the region while the announcement of an extended Winter break draws criticism from the Private School Association.
As students are excited to get 20-day break amid chilly weather, the President All Pakistan Private Schools Association expressed concerns over growing disruptions to the academic year, which narrowed to a mere 120 days.
Winter Holidays Update
The association member lamented frequent school closures amid heavy smog, as it already dented disruptions for students. Amid the dividing suggestions, officials suggested limiting the winter break to 10 days – in what is said to be balance between health concerns and ensuring students’ academic schedules.
Last month, Punjab’s Secretary of Schools said winter holidays will be from December 20, 2024 to January 10, 2025 to safeguard students’ health during the smog crisis.
In a related development, Lahore High Court proposed extending winter holidays for schools until January 10 to end smog affect on young learners.
The court suggested that primary schools should extend their winter break until mid-January due to the ongoing pollution crisis. The court’s recommendations are part of broader set of measures to address the pollution issue, including limiting construction work to just a few days each week.
Despite strong measures in provincial capital Lahore, and parts the region, Air Quality Index (AQI) is still categorized as ‘Unhealthy,’ with an average AQI of 172, with PM2.5 concentration in the city remains over 15 times above the WHO annual air quality guideline.
Lahore schools to get three-holidays in a week amid smog crisis?
