The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench has agreed to hear a petition questioning the Punjab government’s move to prolong summer vacations in schools.
The case was filed by a student, Danial, who argued through his lawyer, Hafiz Waqar Ahmad Awan, that the education department had unnecessarily stretched the break. He told the court that shutting schools for almost three months amounted to undermining children’s right to education and jeopardizing their academic progress.
Judge Criticizes Closure Policy
Justice Jawadul Hassan, who presided over the hearing, appeared skeptical of the government’s justification. “Even during wars, courts stayed open. Why is it that schools are always the first to be closed, first for heat and later for smog?” he remarked, pressing the authorities to explain their decision.
The judge highlighted that education is a constitutional right and warned that prolonged closures risk depriving students of learning continuity. He also pointed out that parents continue to bear heavy school fees, expecting regular classes in return.
Next Steps
Notices have been issued to the Punjab education secretary and other concerned officials to submit their responses before the court proceeds further.
The petition has reignited debate on whether the province is prioritizing administrative convenience over children’s education, especially as repeated shutdowns in recent years — from summer heatwaves to winter smog — have disrupted the academic calendar.
