The Sindh Education and Literacy Department has clarified that private schools across the province are free to determine their own weekly teaching and working schedules, putting an end to confusion created by an earlier notification regarding the restoration of a six-day working week.
The clarification was issued on Friday by the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions after many private school operators sought guidance on whether they were legally required to adopt the newly announced Monday-to-Saturday schedule.
Earlier, the School Education and Literacy Department had issued a notification dated July 29, stating that both public and private schools under its administrative control would observe a six-day working week from Monday to Saturday, effective August 1, 2026, until further orders.
The notification led to uncertainty among private educational institutions, many of which already follow academic calendars and operational schedules tailored to their own requirements.
To remove the confusion, the Directorate of Inspection and Registration issued a fresh circular confirming that the six-day working week is not mandatory for privately managed schools.
In the official clarification, Additional Director Registration Rafia Javed stated that private schools across Sindh may continue managing their weekly working days according to their own operational needs and academic convenience.
“It is hereby clarified for all privately managed schools across the province of Sindh that they may manage their weekly working days according to their own schedules and operative convenience,” the circular stated.
The clarification provides significant flexibility for private institutions, allowing them to continue following five-day or six-day schedules depending on their academic plans, staffing requirements, and administrative decisions.
The issue emerged after the Sindh government recently restored a six-day working week in educational institutions to help schools complete their academic curriculum on time.
Officials had observed that the previous reduction in working days affected classroom teaching and delayed syllabus completion in many institutions.
Earlier this year, on March 31, the Sindh government had announced Saturday and Sunday as weekly holidays for educational institutions as part of broader austerity and fuel conservation measures.
The decision was introduced in response to rising economic pressures linked to regional tensions, including the impact of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which had contributed to concerns over fuel consumption and government expenditure.
According to a spokesperson for the Sindh Chief Minister, the March decision was originally intended only for students.
However, in practice, many teachers also stopped attending schools on Saturdays, reducing teaching hours and creating challenges in completing the prescribed academic syllabus within the available timeframe.
Education officials later concluded that restoring Saturday classes would help institutions recover lost instructional time and improve overall academic progress.
While public schools are expected to follow the government’s revised six-day schedule, the latest clarification ensures that private schools retain the authority to determine their own weekly timetable.
The announcement has been welcomed by many private school operators, who argue that independent institutions require flexibility to manage their academic calendars, extracurricular activities, examinations, and administrative operations.
Meanwhile, the Sindh College Education Department has separately directed all public and private colleges under its administrative control to implement a six-day working week.
Under that notification, colleges across the province are required to operate from Monday to Saturday until further instructions, with revised timings announced for both morning and evening shifts.
The latest clarification means that, unlike colleges, private schools in Sindh will not be compelled to adopt a uniform schedule and can continue operating according to their own educational and operational requirements.
Education experts say the move strikes a balance between the government’s objective of improving academic performance and the autonomy traditionally enjoyed by privately managed educational institutions.
The Sindh Education Department has advised schools to ensure that their chosen schedules provide sufficient instructional time to complete the annual curriculum while maintaining educational standards.
With the clarification now officially issued, private schools across Sindh can continue planning their weekly operations independently without concerns about mandatory compliance with the government’s six-day working week notification.
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