Private school owners in Punjab have taken the provincial government to court over its decision to prolong summer vacations, calling the move damaging to students’ education.
The All Pakistan Private Schools and Management Association (APPSMA) has filed a petition at the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench, arguing that the two-week extension leaves little time to cover the syllabus before exams. The association says keeping campuses shut until August 31—except for grades 9 and 10—is both unfair and inconsistent with policies in other regions.
Under the Punjab Education Department’s latest order, junior classes will remain closed until September 1, while grades 9 and 10 have already resumed. Officials say the move is in line with heatwave safety precautions, but critics argue it’s a blanket decision that ignores academic realities.
Private school leaders point out that in Islamabad and other provinces, schools are already back in session, making Punjab’s prolonged closure look more like overreach than caution. Parents have echoed the frustration, warning that younger students risk falling behind while their peers elsewhere continue with regular lessons.
APPSMA insists all grades should return immediately and hopes the court will fast-track a ruling. Until then, thousands of families in Punjab are left waiting to see whether their children will be back in classrooms before September.
