The Punjab government has decided to shorten summer vacations for schools and colleges across the province as part of a broader effort to standardise the academic calendar.
The move aims to improve learning outcomes and ensure the timely completion of the syllabus at all education levels.
According to a statement shared by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Lahore, the government plans to reduce summer holidays by 36 days. Under the proposal, summer vacations will shrink from two months and 15 days to six weeks.
Officials say the revised schedule will help schools achieve at least 190 teaching days per academic year. The decision follows recommendations from a special committee formed on the directives of the Lahore High Court (Rawalpindi Bench).
The committee met three times over the past four months and finalised its report during a meeting in Lahore, chaired by the Secretary of School Education.
In its findings, the committee noted that the steady rise in holidays had disrupted academic continuity, particularly in senior classes where syllabi often remain incomplete.
Private school associations have welcomed the recommendations. They said a uniform academic calendar would strengthen education standards and help students complete coursework on time.
Education stakeholders also believe the revised schedule will reduce last-minute syllabus pressure and improve exam preparedness.
The Punjab Education Curriculum and Testing Authority and the Directorate of Public Instruction have been tasked with preparing a unified academic calendar based on the committee’s recommendations.
The committee was constituted during the proceedings of a constitutional petition that raised concerns about excessive holidays in educational institutions.
The final report will be submitted to the Lahore High Court at the next hearing, after which the provincial government is expected to announce the official academic calendar.
