The Punjab government has officially declared summer vacations for all public and private schools and colleges across the province.

As per the announcement by Punjab Secretary for Schools Education, Khalid Nazir Wattoo, the holidays will start on June 1 and continue until August 9, 2025.

However, this schedule isn’t set in stone. Wattoo warned that if temperatures continue to rise and reach unsafe levels, the vacation period could begin a week earlier, stressing that the safety and health of students and teachers remain the department’s top priority.

“If heat levels become unusually high, vacations may begin a week earlier,” he said, hinting at flexibility in the schedule based on future weather developments.

This decision comes in the wake of growing concern among climate experts, who warn that prolonged heatwaves — increasingly driven by climate change — are severely impacting education, public health, and economic activity across the region.

To ensure student well-being before schools officially close, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued precautionary guidelines. These include:

• Ensuring proper classroom ventilation
• Verifying that fans and cooling systems are in full working order
• Setting up first-aid counters with trained staff ready to handle heat-related emergencies

The Schools Education Department has already finalized all logistical and administrative arrangements for the vacation period.

With temperatures surging and the mercury climbing dangerously high in many parts of Punjab, parents and educators had been urging the government to take timely action. This announcement, therefore, comes as a relief for families and school staff alike.

The final decision to possibly shift the vacation schedule earlier will depend on how the weather evolves in the coming days, with authorities closely monitoring forecasts.