All of the educational institutions in Islamabad that are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) have announced that Saturday would now be a working day. The only day that will be regarded as a holiday in Islamabad is Sunday.
Starting on November 30, 2024, and lasting until February 1, 2025, this decision will compensate for academic losses caused by recent school and university closures in the nation’s capital.
The letter, which was distributed on November 29, 2024, clarified that frequent disruptions, including political protests, were primarily responsible for the closures. Notably, during this month’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests, authorities temporarily closed schools for a few days due to safety concerns.
The FDE has temporarily shifted to a six-day workweek schedule due to the significant loss of instructional time brought on by these disruptions. All FDE-operating schools and institutions, whether in urban or rural areas, are required to adhere to this timetable within the officially declared periods.
The directive emphasises how important it is to make up lost teaching hours in order to ensure that students meet their annual academic goals. It was released with the approval of the FDE Director General.
Read more: CM Maryam Nawaz lays foundation of Pakistan’s first autism school
Parents and other stakeholders in education have criticised the move due to concerns about the impact of prolonged political unrest on students’ learning. One additional working day is planned in order to minimise these delays and preserve academic continuity.
The timetables of the pupils will probably be impacted in multiple ways by the switch to a single weekly holiday:
With school now being held six days a week, students will spend more time in the classroom and less time relaxing and participating in extracurricular activities.
More school days could mean more homework and tasks, which could put more strain on pupils’ academic performance.
With just one day off, it could be difficult for families to organise activities and spend time together.
Ultimately, students may face a more demanding schedule even though the goal is to make up for missed academic time.