LAHORE – Reports of possible 3-day weekly closure of schools in Punjab sparked uncertainty among students, parents and teachers, but Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat pushed back against the proposal, saying school closures would do little amid fuel saving measures.
In his recent interview, Rana said no formal proposal to close schools for three days a week has so far been placed before him. He also argued that the education sector should be kept out of fuel-saving restrictions that could disrupt regular academic activities. The minister’s remarks come amid renewed concerns over fuel supplies, transportation costs and energy conservation, putting the spotlight once again on whether educational institutions should reduce their weekly operating days.
He rejected idea that shutting schools for an additional day would produce substantial savings in diesel or other running costs. According to the minister, around 90% of students in Punjab’s government schools walk to and from school. As a result, he argued, closing schools would have only a limited impact on fuel consumption associated with students’ daily travel.
He said a similar situation exists in the private education sector, where he estimated that around 90% of students also travel to school on foot.
The minister therefore questioned whether reducing school days would deliver the fuel savings being sought while potentially disrupting the academic calendar. Hayat called for the education sector to be exempted from any fuel-saving restrictions that could interfere with regular teaching.
His position is that schools should continue operating according to their scheduled academic calendar rather than introducing further closures for fuel conservation.
For parents and students, the key takeaway is that there is currently no confirmed Punjab government decision ordering schools to close for three days every week. The controversy comes months after Punjab actually implemented a four-day teaching week.
Punjab announced that public and private schools would remain closed on Fridays, meaning classes were held from Monday to Thursday. Colleges and universities were also included in the four-day working arrangement. The move came amid a broader fuel crisis and disruptions to educational activities. Punjab government subsequently restored regular educational activity, with the education minister announcing that teaching would continue for five days a week.
The earlier experience has now added further weight to the debate over whether another reduction in school days would be introduced.
The minister said fuel conservation measures should be designed in a way that does not undermine students’ education, attendance or academic progress. The latest debate comes as Punjab’s education authorities are simultaneously focusing on school performance and academic outcomes.
Government Schools are already facing heat over Class 9 poor results, with provincial education minister recently warning of strict action against teachers at schools achieving 20% or lower results.
Against that backdrop, another reduction in teaching days could raise fresh questions about maintaining instructional time and improving academic performance.
For now, Punjab schools are not officially being ordered to close three days a week.
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