Punjab’s Minister of Education Rana Sikander Hayat says schools are being closed across all districts due to the increasing impact of smog.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Nov 12th, 2024) The Punjab government has ordered the closure of all private and public schools in the province due to increasing smog and air pollution.
It has been decided to keep all schools in Punjab completely closed until November 17 due to rising smog and air pollution.
Earlier, educational institutions in eight districts of Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Rawalpindi, DG Khan, Sargodha, and Sahiwal, were ordered to close. However, Punjab’s Minister of education has now issued directives for the closure of schools across the entire province, with an official notification also released.
According to the notification, all public and private schools in the province will remain closed until November 17. The notification also instructs that public and private educational institutions and tuition centers should transition to online sessions.
Officials stated that the decision to close educational institutions was made due to an increase in the Air Quality Index (AQI) and the rise in respiratory, eye, and throat diseases caused by air pollution.
Punjab’s Minister of Education, Rana Sikander Hayat, stated that schools are being closed across all districts due to the increasing impact of smog. He said the decision was made based on complaints received from the districts.
He further said that while they are aware of the academic loss, this measure is necessary to protect children from harmful effects. Due to challenges in online teaching, an alternative strategy will be introduced soon.
