ISLAMABAD / QUETTA: Nearly half of Pakistan’s school-age children — around 26 million — are out of school until at least mid-November due to hazardous air pollution, marking the second time this year that schools have closed to protect children’s health, Save the Children has said.

The government has ordered the closure of all schools in Punjab after air pollution levels surged to new highs. Lahore recorded the highest pollution levels globally on Thursday.

Swiss air quality monitoring group IQAir classified Lahore’s air as ‘hazardous’, with PM 2.5 concentrations exceeding the World Health Organisation’s recommended limits by over 100 times.

In May, a prolonged heatwave saw primary and secondary schools close because of extreme heat, prompting a social media campaign by Save the Children in Pakistan to raise awareness among children and their families about precautions to take during a heatwave.

Over 39pc of Balochistan’s kids never attended school, says education minister

This week, as air quality indices hit record highs, authorities in Lahore orde­red primary schools to close for a week to shield children from respiratory issues.

The city of 11 million people has been blanketed in thick haze for most of the week. Lahore was ranked fifth in terms of the world’s most polluted cities last year, with crop burning and poor-quality fuel in vehicles and construction, which were historically blamed as key contributors to the country’s air pollution problem.

The provincial government has made ma­­sk-wearing mandatory in public places and offices have been asked to adopt a work-from-home policy for half of their wor­kforce, while all government meetings have been moved online until further notice.

“Air pollution and hotter temperatures are leading to life-threatening dangers for children, including difficulty breathing and higher risk of infectious diseases. It also disrupts education for children, as we are seeing in Pakistan right now. Nothing good comes from children breathing in toxic air,” said Save Children Country Director Khuram Gondal.

“Although the government of Pakistan has taken some steps to curb this problem, we strongly encourage policymakers to urgently address air pollution, including through long-term solutions, to create a better future for children,” he added.

Education in Balochistan

Meanwhile, over 39 per cent of children in Balochistan have never attended school, Education Minister Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani disclosed on Thursday, pledging to develop a comprehensive roadmap to improve education quality and access across the province.

Speaking at a scholarship ceremony under the Wasila Programme, Ms Durrani described the high absentee rate as a “tragedy” and stressed that it was the government’s responsibility to ensure children access their fundamental right to education. She urged assembly members to adopt local schools and transform them into model institutions.

Ms Durrani also highlighted the scholarship programme launched by Islamic Re­­­lief Pakistan, which she said provides critical support for students in the province.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2024