Private schools across Punjab have voiced concern over the continued delay in the release of the province’s academic calendar despite the commencement of the new academic year, calling on the School Education Department to finalize and publish the document without further delay.
School owners said a clearly defined academic calendar is essential for planning holidays, examinations, and other educational activities, particularly amid changing weather patterns that can impact school operations throughout the year.
Stakeholders stressed the importance of maintaining at least 210 teaching days annually and warned that frequent unannounced holidays disrupt academic progress, create uncertainty for educational institutions, and cause inconvenience for parents and students.
According to representatives of the private education sector, the School Education Department had previously sought recommendations from schools while preparing the academic calendar and reportedly agreed with several of the proposals submitted.
However, they noted that despite the passage of nearly a year, the calendar has yet to be officially released, leaving schools without a predictable framework for managing the academic session.
The delay has also attracted criticism because Punjab’s education authorities have repeatedly announced plans to introduce a comprehensive academic calendar but have not yet issued a final version.
Private educational institutions have urged the government to remove uncertainty in the education sector by immediately publishing the academic calendar and ensuring a structured schedule for schools across the province.
Education stakeholders believe a timely academic calendar would help schools better manage teaching activities, examinations, vacations, and other key events while improving coordination with parents and students.
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