Punjab Government Reduces Summer Vacations 2026 for Schools and Colleges

The Punjab government has announced a reduction in summer vacations for schools and colleges across the province to standardise the academic calendar and enhance educational outcomes.

The decision follows recommendations from a committee formed under the directives of the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court. The panel suggested a uniform academic calendar requiring all schools and colleges in Punjab to complete 190 teaching days each year.

According to a statement shared by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore, summer holidays will now be shortened by 36 days, decreasing from two months and 15 days to six weeks.

The initiative aims to improve students’ academic performance and ensure timely completion of syllabi. Private school associations have also endorsed the plan.

The committee, chaired by the Secretary of School Education, held three meetings over the past four months before finalising its recommendations in Lahore. Its report highlighted that the increasing number of holidays in recent years has negatively affected the education system, particularly at higher grade levels, where incomplete syllabi have impacted student performance.

Private education bodies welcomed the move, stating that a uniform academic calendar will improve education standards and help students complete their coursework more efficiently.

The Punjab Education Curriculum and Testing Authority (PECTA) and the Director of Public Instruction (Elementary and Secondary) will now prepare a unified academic calendar based on the committee’s recommendations.

The committee was constituted following a constitutional petition heard by the LHC bench, which raised concerns over excessive holidays in educational institutions. The report is expected to be submitted to the court at the next hearing, after which a final decision on the academic calendar will be announced.