LAHORE — In a major shift for the provincial education system, the Government of Punjab has officially announced a new schedule for all public and private schools, effective immediately. According to the notification issued on April 1, 2026, the province is transitioning to a four-day academic week to streamline educational activities.
The Three-Day Weekend The most significant change in the notification is the declaration of Friday as a weekly holiday until further notice. With Saturday and Sunday remaining as standard weekend holidays, students and faculty across Punjab will now observe a three-day break every week. Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat confirmed the move via his official handle on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the decision aims to balance the academic load.
New Daily Operating Hours To compensate for the reduced working days, the daily timings for schools operating from Monday to Thursday have been revised as follows:
- Single-Shift Schools: These institutions will now operate from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
- Double Shift Schools (Morning): The first session will commence at 8:00 AM and conclude at 12:30 PM.
- Double Shift Schools (Afternoon): The second session will run from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
The Education Minister emphasized that these changes are designed to improve the mental well-being of students while maintaining the required instructional hours. All Chief Executive Officers (District Education Authorities) have been strictly directed to monitor schools and ensure 100% compliance with the new directives.
