LAHORE: The Punjab School Education Department on Friday issued a notification, announcing summer vacation in all public and private schools of the province from June 1 to Aug 14.

Earlier, the government also reduced the timings of schools from May 18 to 31 due to the forecast of a heatwave. Schools will operate from 7am to 11:30am on Monday to Thursday and Saturday, and from 7am to 10:30am on Friday. The department also directed schools to provide working fans, ensure the availability of water coolers, and ensure that no student is made to sit in the open during the summer.

The department directed the chief executive officers of the district education authority across Punjab to monitor the functioning of all schools in their respective areas.

The Meteorological Department warned on Thursday that the presence of high pressure in the upper atmosphere will result in heatwave conditions in most parts of the country, especially Punjab and Sindh, from May 21 and a severe heatwave from May 23 to 27. Daytime temperatures are “likely to remain 4 to 6 degrees centigrade above normal” in Sindh and Punjab from May 21 to 23 and 6 to 8°C from May 23 to 27. People were advised to avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight and drink water.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2024