Schools across Punjab province will be closed from today (Wednesday) till November 17 due to the worsening smog situation.
Expanding its previous order, the notification issued by the Punjab Education Board stated that due to prevailing smog conditions and reduced visibility, all education institutions (public/private) including private tuition centers up to Higher Secondary Level (12th grade) in Punjab province will remain closed from November 13 till November 17. All classes will be held Online during the shutdown period.
Earlier, the Punjab government had announced the closure of schools in five divisions which included Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, and Sahiwal Divisions.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat acknowledging the loss in education due to the closure of schools said that these measures have been taken to ensure the safety of children and to protect them from the effects of toxic air quality
Yesterday Lahore was top of the list of the most polluted cities in the world while many other Punjab cities were also ranked with high AQI in the list.