PCE: Presents Proposed Academic Calendar and Key Education Reforms in Punjab

A comprehensive and substantive meeting was held in the Committee Room of the School Education Department, Government of the Punjab. The Special Committee Meeting was presided over by #Special #Secretary #SED, Mr. Muhammad Iqbal. Mr. Ali Raza, #Chairman, Pakistan Chamber of Education, delivered a detailed and well-articulated presentation on behalf of the private education sector. The meeting was also attended by Former #Minister for #Education, Mian Imran Masood, along with eminent educationists from both the public and private sectors. During the session, the Pakistan Chamber of Education presented the proposed #Academic #Calendar, with particular emphasis on the rationalization of vacations. A comprehensive and practical solution was formally presented and submitted to the competent authority for consideration. All #private #sector representatives present in the meeting recorded their strong protest against the closure of schools, particularly in #Bahawalpur. The Pakistan Chamber of Education also formally recorded its strong protest against the sealing of schools by #PERA in #Muridke. Former Minister for Education Mian Imran Masood and Mr. Abrar Ahmad Khan strongly supported this stance and presented compelling arguments on the matter. After detailed deliberations, the forum developed consensus on the following key points, primarily presented by Mr. Ali Raza, Chairman, Pakistan Chamber of Education: • A minimum of 190 instructional days per year should be mandatory, exclusively dedicated to academic activities. • An additional 20 days should be allocated specifically for examinations. • Summer vacations should be limited to six weeks, while winter vacations should be two weeks. • In view of continuous climate change, it was recognized that Punjab comprises three distinct climate zones: Upper Punjab, Central Punjab, and South Punjab. • Decisions regarding emergency vacations (due to war, floods, earthquakes, fog, smog, law and order situations, etc.) should be made at the district level only, based on local conditions.