With the notifications circulating on social media that winter vacations are being extended for the schools in Punjab due to smog and extreme cold weather.
Due to such notifications the parents are left wondering whether the schools will reopen on Monday (January 12) as schedule.
The schools in Punjab were closed for winter vacations from December 23 till January 10 with classes to resume from January 12 (Monday).
Minister clarifies
However, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has set the record straight and denied that any extension in winter holidays is under consideration.
He said all educational institutions across the province will reopen on January 12 after winter vacations.
In a post on X, the provincial minister he rejected social media reports about a possible extension in holidays. He termed these claims false and misleading.
He said schools and colleges will reopen on Monday.
The minister clarified there is no proposal to extend winter vacations. Schools, colleges, and other institutions will resume classes as scheduled from 8:45 am to 2:45 pm from Monday to Thursday, while classes will end at 12:30 pm on Friday.
He advised parents, students, and teachers to ignore rumours. He stressed they should follow only official notifications from the Punjab Education Department.
Parents demand extension
Several parents have asked the provincial government to extend the winter holidays due to extreme cold weather and early morning fog situations. They said that it is difficult to send small children to school in this kind of weather conditions.
