RAWALPINDI: In order to streamline the academic calendar for schools across Punjab, Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench ordered formation of a high level committee to ensure minimum 220 teaching days in a year.

Justice Hassan issued the said direction while hearing a petition which challenged the Punjab government’s recent notifications extending summer vacation.

Terming the notifications issued on Aug 7 and 8 by the Secretary of the School Education Department illegal, the petitioner argued they were not backed by any specific legal provision or rule.

He contended that such ad-hoc decisions disrupt the academic year and harm students’ educational futures.

In response, the government’s law officer, Mohammad Asif Iqbal, defended the decision, stating it was a proactive measure taken due to severe weather alerts from the Punjab Disaster Management Authority.

He explained that the extension for students from classes one to eight was to protect younger, more vulnerable children, while older students (9th to A-Level) were to resume classes earlier.

He also emphasized that private schools were encouraged to use digital platforms to maintain academic continuity.

Representatives from the All Pakistan Private School Management Association (APPSMA) presented a critical viewpoint. Their representative, Abrar Ahmed Khan, stated that the government’s frequent and unannounced holiday declarations have drastically reduced actual teaching days to fewer than 135, far short of the standard 220-day academic calendar they plan for.

He pleaded the court to bind the government to ensure academic days are not lost on “different excuses”.

The Pakistan Education Council supported this, highlighting the contradiction between the Prime Minister’s announced “Education Emergency” and the reality of constant school closures.

Taking note of the absence of a standardised academic calendar or specific rules governing vacation in Punjab, Justice Jawad Hassan observed that the province lacks a structured term system like those used by renowned international institutions.

To resolve this issue permanently, the court ordered the constitution of a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the School Education Department.

The committee will include representatives from various government departments, leading private school networks like Beaconhouse and Lahore Grammar School, and education experts like Dr Mariam Chughtai of the National Curriculum Council.

The committee’s mandate is to prepare special rules for a standardised academic calendar for Punjab, specifically prescribing vacations to ensure a minimum of 220 teaching days.

The committee has been ordered to hold its first meeting on September 11.

The court has summoned a progress report from the committee on September 16.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025

An earlier version of this story erroneously mentioned LHC as IHC. The error has been rectified and is regretted.