The year 2024 proved to be a turbulent one for Punjab’s educational landscape, as schools and colleges across the province experienced an unprecedented number of closures.
Frequent interruptions due to extreme weather, security concerns, and political events threw the academic calendar into disarray, leaving students and educators struggling with lost learning opportunities.
The academic year was severely disrupted by intense heatwaves, smog, and political unrest. Summer vacations, originally scheduled to end in mid-August, were extended as temperatures soared across the region.
Winter vacations further shortened the academic year. In November, schools were closed for 16 days due to hazardous smog that blanketed Punjab, a recurring issue during the colder months.
Additionally, an unconfirmed security threat at Konji College on October 18 and 19 led to the temporary closure of nearby schools for safety reasons. School closures also occurred from February 6 to 9 in light of the general elections.
The Punjab government’s decision to declare Saturdays as holidays for all government schools further reduced in-person teaching days, compounding the impact of unscheduled closures.
Punjab’s Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, acknowledged the significant setbacks caused by these disruptions. “This year’s holidays have resulted in considerable educational losses. We are now focusing on strengthening online teaching to ensure continuity in learning,” the minister said.