Punjab Education Department refutes rumors of extended winter holidays

LAHORE: In a recent educational advancement, the Punjab Education Department has decided not to extend the winter holidays, and schools across the province will reopen on January 13.

Irrespective of the cold, dry, and foggy weather prevailing in Punjab, the department has discarded all fictions about an extension in winter breaks.

The Secretary of Schools, Khalid Nazeer Watto, has made it clear that there are no suggestions for considering an extension, and parents may send their children to school as scheduled.

While some are okay with the decision of resuming classes, others are concerned for the health of the children due to the cold wave, especially in view of the fog and smog still prevailing in most of Punjab, especially in the mornings.

Winter holidays in Punjab started on December 23, 2024, and end on January 10, 2025, with classes resuming on January 13. The rumors of an extended winter break were the hoax that circulated on social media, leading to some confusion among students and parents, who thought it was an official announcement from the Punjab government.

Meanwhile, colleges and universities in Punjab have already begun classes this week. Meanwhile, schools in Sindh, Islamabad, and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have already opened, while the AJK Education Department announced that educational institutions in the region would now open on February 6, instead of February 2, due to cold weather.