School hours increased by one hour

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday revised school timings, increasing teaching hours by one hour after restoring the weekly Saturday holiday in all public and private schools across the province.

The decision aims to improve learning outcomes, ensure effective academic activities, and help teachers complete the prescribed syllabus within the academic year.

Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah announced the decision, saying the restoration of the Saturday holiday had been approved by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah.

Under the revised arrangement, schools will remain closed on Saturdays, while an additional hour will be added to teaching time on working days to compensate for the lost education time.

The minister said the decision was taken as part of the provincial government’s austerity measures while ensuring that students’ education is not affected.

Notably, the Sindh government had abolished the weekly Saturday holiday on July 30, introducing a six-day working week for schools across the province. Several teachers had supported the move, saying that the Saturday holiday was affecting classroom continuity and students’ academic progress.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan government has also announced a six-day working week for schools and administrative offices under the School Education Department, ending the Saturday holiday.

According to a notification issued by the Balochistan School Education Department, all public and private schools, along with attached administrative offices, will operate from Monday to Saturday until further orders.