SWABI, Nov 24: New timings for government schools in the district have created confusion in the district with many schools are still following the old schedule.

Some institutions are following the old schedule, while others have introduced their own timings after Eid.

Many schools have started mid-term examinations, scheduled to be hold on Dec 2, to avoid anger of the executive district officer (education).

Leaders of the teaching community told Dawn on Tuesday that women teachers had been facing various problems in reaching homes and those teaching in far-flung areas could hardly reach their homes before the sunset.

The executive district officer for literacy and education has issued an order saying that all the boys and girls schools should be opened at 8.15am and closed at 2.40pm everyday. On Fridays, the institutions should be closed at 12 noon. In the new order, 45 minutes have been spared for Zohr prayer.

Primary schools in the district are being closed at 1pm while high and higher secondary schools have adopted their own timings. Only middle schools follow the new order.

The principals of the high and higher secondary schools termed it a flawed order which according to them had only puzzled the teaching community. The high and higher secondary schools are following the old timings, opening at 8.15 am and closing at 1.35pm.

This schedule was adopted on the order of former provincial education minister Hashim Khan about seven-year ago. Mr Hashim had declared that he had replaced the British colonial timings with his own. The main objective was to provide facility to women teachers so that they could reach homes early in winter.

Teachers, especially women, said the new timings were creating various problems for them. But an insider in the education department said the provincial education directorate had not issued any order in this regard and there was no value of any other order.

The teaching community has demanded restoration of the old timings. A brief chat with teachers and their leaders, principals/headmasters and experts revealed that the best option is to restore the old order and there was nothing wrong in that.