Punjab announces Saturday holiday for Schools

Punjab’s Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has announced that all educational institutions across the province will remain closed on Saturday.

He also confirmed that a smart and reduced syllabus has been introduced for matriculation students in Punjab to ease the academic burden on children. The minister said that the new smart syllabus for the 11th grade is currently being developed and will be officially announced by next week. He added that the updated smart syllabus for matric students has already been uploaded online since the day before yesterday.

Sharing further details, Rana Sikandar Hayat revealed that the ninth-grade computer science book has been shortened from 270 pages to 160 pages. According to him, unnecessary material has been removed from textbooks to make learning more focused and student-friendly.

He emphasized that the purpose of introducing a smart syllabus is to reduce academic pressure and align educational content with the latest global trends and modern learning needs. The minister also said that a joint committee comprising representatives from both public and private educational sectors has been formed to design the new academic calendar. This calendar will guide the education schedule and help maintain uniformity across institutions.

Rana Sikandar Hayat added that the academic calendar will be finalized and completed by December 1, after which an official notification will be issued. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing a balanced, modern, and less stressful learning environment for students throughout Punjab.