A CHANGE in school timings proposed by the Punjab education department brought some relief to school administrations and parents as the level of smog tended to decrease during the newly prescribed school timings.

Implementing the aforementioned would lead to less accidents and commute-related issues. But would it lessen the massive health issues among students related to this toxic smog?

The question is rhetorical. I am also a part of a school’s administration. I witnessed the havoc this polluted smog played with the students and staff members’ health. Headaches, burning eyes, chest infection and breathing problems were just a few of the numerous side-effects that occurred in children and adults exposed to smog.

With this level of pollution that engulfed Punjab recently and the unacceptable levels of carbon monoxide, shouldn’t the local education department have treated this issue seriously and realised the danger to young students?

A state of medical emergency was declared in Delhi by the Indian Medical Association and all schools were closed for a week but we, surprisingly focused on education at the time when health was more important.

When will the government actually start making decisions which show some level of humanity?

Alizeh Khalid

Lahore

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2017