LAHORE – The ongoing disruption of Strait of Hormuz due to conflict involving US, Israel, and Iran driven up strained energy supplies, and Pakistan is forced to closed schools before Summer Vacations, which is disrupting the academic academic calender.
Amid the crisis, Punjab School Education Department is reportedly considering extending school holidays until April 15 as part of urgent measures to tackle the worsening energy crisis.
The proposed move would apply to both public and private educational institutions, potentially prolonging the current academic disruption. Schools were initially shut down from March 10 to March 31, but rapidly deteriorating energy shortages have forced authorities to revisit the schedule and consider an additional two-week extension.
Officials say the proposal has gained strong backing from the provincial energy authorities, who have urged the government to restrict non-essential activities in a bid to conserve fuel and electricity. With Punjab being the most populous province in the country, its energy consumption remains significantly high, putting additional strain on already limited resources.
The daily movement of millions of students, teachers, and staff contributes heavily to fuel usage, while the operation of school buildings further increases electricity demand. Authorities believe that extending school closures could help reduce overall energy consumption during this critical period of shortages.
Punjab is also exploring a broader set of emergency measures to control energy demand. These include reducing working hours in commercial markets, encouraging work-from-home arrangements where possible, discouraging unnecessary travel, and considering restrictions on large public gatherings. Additional steps to limit excessive electricity usage in commercial zones are also under discussion.
