KARACHI: The Sindh government has announced a one-hour reduction in school timings across the province in response to the ongoing extreme heat and difficulties being faced by students in several educational institutions.
Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah made the announcement while speaking at an event in Karachi. He said the decision was aimed at providing relief to students and staff amid severe weather conditions.
According to the minister, children in some parts of Sindh have been attending classes in temperatures reaching 52°C, while some schools lack proper roofs and other basic facilities. He expressed concern that students were being forced to sit and study in open areas because of inadequate infrastructure.
The minister said the additional hour that had previously been added to school timings would now be removed. The extra hour had been introduced to compensate for educational losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and floods.
Sardar Shah also highlighted broader challenges facing Sindh’s education sector, including the lack of a uniform education policy and the large number of children who remain out of school.
He stressed that schools need proper roofs, basic facilities and better infrastructure to protect students from extreme weather. He also called for increased funding for education through the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), particularly for the construction and rehabilitation of schools affected by floods.
The latest decision comes shortly after the Sindh Education Department had revised school schedules in August. The earlier timetable had introduced different hours for primary, elementary, secondary and higher secondary schools, including separate arrangements for single- and double-shift institutions.
The new reduction in working hours is expected to provide some relief to students and teachers, particularly as concerns over extreme temperatures and inadequate school infrastructure continue across the province.
