The Punjab government has approved a major overhaul of the academic calendar by significantly reducing summer vacations for schools and colleges across the province. Under the new policy, the summer break has been shortened from two and a half months to just six weeks, resulting in a reduction of 36 days.
The decision aims to standardize the academic calendar and improve educational outcomes by increasing instructional time. It follows the recommendations of a special committee formed on the directives of the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench, which examined the impact of extended holidays on the education system.
According to the committee’s report, the gradual increase in vacation periods over recent years has adversely affected student learning and overall academic performance. The report stressed that prolonged breaks disrupt continuity in education and make timely completion of syllabi increasingly difficult.
As part of the new framework, all public and private educational institutions in Punjab will be required to complete a minimum of 190 teaching days annually. Education officials believe this measure will help ensure syllabus completion on schedule and contribute to improved examination results.
The move has received backing from private school associations, which have welcomed the decision as a constructive step toward restoring academic discipline and raising education standards. Representatives of private institutions supported the idea of a uniform and balanced academic calendar during committee deliberations.
Related: Punjab Extends Winter Holidays
To operationalize the policy, the Punjab Education Curriculum and Testing Authority (PECTAA) and the Director Public Instruction for Elementary and Secondary Education will jointly develop a standardized academic calendar to be implemented province-wide.
