Punjab govt changes college timings amid heatwave concerns
LAHORE, May 21 (INP): The Department of Higher Education Punjab has revised the operating hours for colleges across the province.
Effective immediately, college hours will be from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM, with Friday hours adjusted to 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Additionally, a second shift will operate from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The Higher Education Department has officially communicated these changes to college principals through a formal letter.
The revised timings, in effect from May 21 to May 31, aim to mitigate the impact of the heatwave. The Meteorological Department has forecasted that daytime temperatures in Sindh and Punjab will be 4 to 6 degrees Celsius above normal until May 23, rising to 6 to 8 degrees Celsius from May 23 to May 27. The heatwave is expected to affect most parts of the country during this period.
The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has also issued a heatwave alert from May 21 to May 27, urging district administrations to raise public awareness through helplines, mosque announcements, and media campaigns. Health departments have been directed to establish shelters, ensure the availability of medicines, and cancel the leave of doctors and paramedical staff.
In addition to adjusting college timings, the government has advised granting holidays to children up to the age of five. Furthermore, the Department of Schools Education has announced that all government and private schools in Punjab will be closed from May 25 to May 31 due to the heatwave. However, schools conducting examinations are permitted to proceed, provided they implement all necessary precautionary measures.
This decision follows a previous announcement regarding summer vacations in Punjab educational institutions, set to begin on June 1.
