LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced a Saturday holiday for all special education institutions across the province, with the decision taking immediate effect.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Special Education, all government-run special education schools, colleges, and training centers will now remain closed on Saturdays.
Reports said that the decision aims to facilitate teachers and students, improve teaching quality, and make administrative operations more efficient.
Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat announced that all educational institutions in the province will also observe a Saturday holiday. He stated that a “smart and reduced syllabus” for matric classes is already in use, while work on the syllabus for grade 11 is in progress and will be announced next week.
Punjab Issues Saturday holiday for special education schools:
The Punjab government has announced a Saturday holiday for all special education institutions across the province, effective immediately.
According to the official notification, all government special education schools, colleges, and training centers will remain closed on Saturdays to ease workloads and improve academic quality.
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The minister added that the updated smart syllabus has already been uploaded. For example, the computer science textbook for grade 9 has been reduced from 270 pages to 160 pages. The purpose of the new syllabus is to reduce students’ workload and remove unnecessary material, aligning education with modern academic standards and needs.
Rana Sikandar Hayat also said that a committee comprising representatives from public and private sectors has been formed to prepare an academic calendar, which will be finalized and notified by December 1. These initiatives aim to improve educational quality and support students’ learning needs.
In a separate development, the Punjab government has issued new school timings effective from October 27, 2025, to April 15, 2026.
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According to the official notification:
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Single-shift schools: Monday to Thursday from 8:45 AM to 1:30 PM, and Friday from 8:45 AM to 12:30 PM.
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Double-shift schools: First shift from 8:45 AM to 1:30 PM, and second shift from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. On Fridays, the morning shift will run from 8:45 AM to 12:30 PM, and the afternoon shift from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
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Teachers’ duty hours: Monday to Thursday from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and Friday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. In double-shift schools, teachers will work from 12:45 PM to 4:00 PM during the afternoon session.
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Teachers will also take part in activities every alternate Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
These new timings and academic updates are part of the provincial government’s efforts to enhance learning outcomes and streamline school operations across Punjab.
