Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has rejected reports suggesting that schools across the province could face a smart lockdown.
The minister said there was currently no proposal to introduce such restrictions. He also urged parents to avoid believing misinformation or disinformation circulating about school closures.
Punjab Schools to Continue Normal Academic Activities
Speaking in Lahore, Rana Sikandar Hayat assured parents that educational activities across Punjab would continue as usual.
He said schools were currently operating five days a week, from Monday to Friday. Moreover, he said he personally believed educational institutions should continue operating for five days each week.
The minister also stressed the importance of keeping schools open while other parts of society continue their routine activities.
“If markets and bazaars are open, schools should not be closed,” he said.
According to the minister, around 90% of schoolchildren attend educational institutions located near their homes. Therefore, he argued that keeping schools open would allow students to continue their education without unnecessary disruption.
Minister Urges Parents to Ignore Misinformation
Rana Sikandar Hayat urged parents to remain cautious about unverified claims regarding possible school closures.
He clarified that Punjab currently has no proposal for a smart lockdown in educational institutions. As a result, students and parents should continue following the existing school schedule.
Meanwhile, the minister said he would support the continuation of education even if the federal government proposed similar restrictions.
He added that, if the federal government proposed such a decision, he would urge authorities to ensure that educational activities continued under all circumstances.
Federal Government Announces Austerity Measures
The clarification comes after the federal government introduced broad austerity and fuel conservation measures.
The measures aim to conserve energy as fuel prices rise amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. As part of the measures, shops, markets and shopping malls in Islamabad must close at 9pm throughout the week.
However, the new austerity measures initially apply only to Islamabad. The federal government has also encouraged provincial and regional governments to consider adopting similar measures.
For now, however, Punjab schools have no smart lockdown proposal, according to the provincial education minister. Therefore, educational institutions across the province are expected to continue their regular five-day schedule.
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