LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced an extension in winter vacations for all public and private schools across the province due to the ongoing severe cold wave and concerns over students’ health.
The decision was confirmed by Punjab’s Minister for Education, Rana Sikandar Hayat, through an official statement shared on social media. The schools across Punjab will now reopen on January 19, instead of the previously scheduled reopening date of January 12.
The extension comes in response to persistently harsh weather conditions and forecasts indicating continued low temperatures in the coming days. Furthermore, the Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat stated that the decision was made after careful consideration of weather advisories issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
He focused on ensuring that the safety and well-being of students remain the government’s top priority, particularly during extreme winter conditions that could negatively impact children’s health.
Moreover, the minister also took public opinion into account. A public poll conducted on the education minister’s official social media platform showed overwhelming support for extending winter vacations.
So far, approximately 87 percent of participants favored extending the holidays, while 13 percent supported reopening schools on January 12. In such a case, the official figures from the survey revealed that 154,178 votes were cast in favor of reopening schools on January 19, whereas 24,829 voters supported reopening on the earlier date.
The minister described the decision as an example of participatory governance, stating that public consultation played a key role in shaping the final outcome.
Meanwhile, daily life continues to be disrupted in several parts of Punjab due to dense fog, particularly during morning and night hours. Poor visibility has affected road traffic and routine activities in many areas.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department reported that extremely low temperatures persist across the country. Over the past 24 hours, Skardu recorded the lowest temperature at minus 12 degrees Celsius, mentioning the severity of the winter season.
