LAHORE — The Punjab School Education Department has issued a final warning to all public and private schools, as well as private academies across the province, to stay closed until March 31. This strict directive comes with a clear message: any institution caught operating behind closed doors will face immediate and severe legal action.
Officials have made it clear that they aren’t just issuing warnings this time. Any private school found holding classes or bringing in students during this period will be sealed on the spot, and the owners risk having their official registration canceled entirely. For public schools, the stakes are just as high. Headmasters and teachers who ignore the lockdown orders could see their salaries withheld as part of the disciplinary process.
The crackdown has already begun in several areas. Reports confirm that at least eight schools in suburban regions have already been sealed after they were caught ignoring the government’s orders. Education officials are now required to submit compliance reports every single day to ensure no one is slipping through the cracks.
This sudden closure has hit the academic calendar hard, specifically the busy admissions season. Typically, March is the peak time for parents to enroll their children in nursery, kindergarten, and Grade 1. However, since the enforcement began on March 10, the process has ground to a halt. Authorities are already worried about a major “enrollment gap,” with early estimates suggesting that new admissions might only reach a tiny fraction of last year’s numbers.
The move has sparked a wave of frustration among private school leaders. Representatives like Abrar Ahmed Khan and Irfan Muzaffar Kiani have hit back at the government, calling the policies inconsistent and damaging. They argued that even in countries facing active conflict, education usually finds a way to continue. They are calling for an immediate reopening so that they can finish exams, announce results, and save the failing admission cycle.
In a massive update for students in the public sector, the government has decided to promote all students from Grade 1 to Grade 7 to the next class without any failing grades. Officials admitted that holding fair and transparent annual exams simply isn’t possible under the current conditions. These promotions are set to be finalized by March 31.
Read More: https://informal.pk/back-to-class-punjab-schools-set-to-reopen-on-april-1/
Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi District Education Authority has raised a red flag regarding schools that are still forcing teachers to show up for work. Officials noted that during a time of high inflation and fuel shortages, making staff commute for no reason is an unfair burden. They reiterated that until the clock strikes midnight on March 31, no school doors should be open for any reason.
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