Private Schools in Islamabad Adopt Four-Day Workweek
News Desk
Islamabad: Education authorities across Pakistan have introduced revised academic schedules, including reduced school weeks and adjusted timings, as part of broader austerity and fuel conservation measures amid rising global energy costs.
The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), operating under the Ministry of Federal Education, has directed all private schools in Islamabad Capital Territory to adopt a four-day workweek, limiting on-campus academic activities from Monday to Thursday with immediate effect until further notice.
In its notification, the authority said the decision aligns with government efforts to conserve fuel and manage energy usage during the ongoing economic strain linked to fluctuating global oil prices.
In Punjab, both public and private educational institutions will observe Fridays as a weekly holiday. Schools in the province have resumed physical classes following a 22-day closure from March 10 to March 31, which was implemented under federal directives aimed at reducing fuel consumption.
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During the closure, institutions continued academic activities through online classes, while examinations proceeded as scheduled.
According to the updated timetable issued by the Punjab Education Department, school hours from Monday to Thursday will run from 8:00am to 1:30pm. Double-shift schools will follow staggered timings, with the first shift operating from 8:00am to 12:30pm and the second shift from 1:00pm to 5:30pm.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has also resumed in-person education across the province. Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon announced that all schools, colleges, and universities reopened from April 1, replacing online classes with physical attendance. Educational institutions in Sindh will observe Saturdays and Sundays as weekly holidays.
Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah confirmed that the new academic session has commenced, with a two-day weekend now in place across the province.
The coordinated policy shifts across provinces reflect efforts to balance academic continuity with energy conservation amid ongoing economic pressures.
