Private schools have urged education authorities to abolish Saturday holidays in the upcoming academic session, citing significant learning losses caused by frequent and unplanned closures over the past year.
The proposal was presented during a high-level meeting between private school representatives and officials from the School Education Department (SED). Qazi Naeem Anjum, Head of Pak Aiwan-e-Taleem for Private Schools, called for sweeping reforms to the academic calendar to ensure students receive adequate instructional time.
Anjum emphasized that the previous academic year was severely disrupted, with schools managing only 127 teaching days instead of the recommended minimum. He stressed that an academic year should include at least 180 teaching days to maintain educational standards and allow timely completion of the syllabus.
To address the shortfall, he proposed eliminating Saturday holidays, shortening summer vacations to two months, and limiting winter breaks to just ten days in January. He argued that these measures would help restore academic balance and prevent further learning gaps among students.
Additionally, Anjum suggested allowing schools to conduct summer camps during the vacation period as a way to reinforce learning and cover missed coursework.
Related: Private Costs Soar as Public Education Loses Ground in Pakistan
Officials from the School Education Department acknowledged the concerns raised by private schools and assured the delegation that the proposals would be carefully reviewed before any final decisions are made.
