ISLAMABAD: The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) on Thursday announced that all private schools in the federal capital will shift to a four-day workweek.
The decision, issued through an official notification, comes as part of the government’s broader austerity drive and efforts to conserve fuel amid rising global energy costs.
According to the notification, all Private Educational Institutions operating within the Islamabad Capital Territory will conduct on-campus academic activities from Monday to Thursday, with the new schedule taking immediate effect and remaining in place until further orders.
The authority, which functions under the Ministry of Federal Education, stated that the move is aimed at reducing fuel consumption and operational expenses.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Education Department has also implemented similar adjustments, announcing that all schools across the province will remain closed on Fridays.
Both public and private institutions will operate from Monday to Thursday under the revised schedule. This change follows the reopening of educational institutions on April 1 after a 22-day closure from March 10 to 31, which was enforced in response to fuel conservation measures linked to rising oil prices amid global tensions.
During the closure period, schools continued academic activities through online classes, while examinations proceeded as planned. Under the new timetable, schools in Punjab will operate from 8:00am to 1:30pm from Monday to Thursday.
For double-shift institutions, the first shift will run from 8:00am to 12:30pm, followed by a second shift from 1:00pm to 5:30pm.In Sindh, the provincial government has also resumed regular academic operations.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon announced that all educational institutions across the province reopened for physical classes on April 1, replacing the earlier system of online learning.
He further stated that institutions will observe a weekly holiday on Saturdays.Additionally, Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah confirmed that the new academic year in the province has commenced from April 1.
Schools in Sindh will follow a two-day weekend, remaining closed on both Saturday and Sunday, as part of the updated academic schedule.