No More Holidays, Punjab Schools Reopen from April 1

LAHORE: Rana Sikandar Hayat announced on Wednesday that all schools across Punjab will reopen from April 1, dismissing speculation about any extension in holidays.

The minister shared the update through a post on X, confirming that academic activities will resume as scheduled in educational institutions throughout the province.

Balochistan extends school holidays amid fuel-saving efforts

Earlier this month, the provincial government had ordered the closure of all educational institutions from March 10 to 31 as part of measures to ease economic pressure, particularly the sharp rise in petroleum prices triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

It was learnt that authorities had been weighing several options to tackle the emerging energy crisis, including extending school holidays and reducing market hours to curb fuel consumption.

The Punjab Energy Department had also submitted recommendations to the provincial government, proposing fuel rationing along the lines of federal measures to manage limited resources,

Among the key proposals were extending school closures until April 15 and introducing a hybrid learning system to reduce energy usage in the education sector.

The department further suggested implementing a coupon-based or digital system to ensure equitable distribution of petrol and diesel, along with restricting fuel supply to vehicles on designated days as part of broader rationing efforts.